Cutting is the separation of a physical object, or a portion of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scalpel and microtome. However, any sufficiently sharp object is capable of cutting if it has a hardness sufficiently larger than the object being cut, and if it is applied with sufficient force. Even liquids can be used to cut things when applied with sufficient force (see water jet cutter).
Cutting is a compressive and shearing phenomenon, and occurs only when the total stress generated by the cutting implement exceeds the ultimate strength of the material of the object being cut. The simplest applicable equation is stress = force/area: The stress generated by a cutting implement is directly proportional to the force with which it is applied, and inversely proportional to the area of contact. Hence, the smaller the area (i.e., the sharper the cutting implement), the less force is needed to cut something.
Read more about Cutting: Tools Commonly Used For Cutting
Other articles related to "cutting":
... interlayers in laminated glass make its cutting difficult ... There is an unsafe practice of cutting both sides separately, pouring a flammable liquid such as denatured alcohol into the crack, and igniting it to melt the ... Special purpose laminated cutting tables Vertically-inclined saw frames A blowlamp or hot air blower ...
... The CCHA promotes a type of horse called the Canadian cutting horse, which includes all horses used for the sport of cutting in Canada ...
... Abrasive saw Axe Blade Bandsaw Chainsaw Circular saw Cutting tool (machining) Diamond blade Diamond tool Drill bit Fingernail File Front teeth Glass cutter Grater Hacksaw Hand saw ...
... The Sonning Cutting railway accident occurred during the early hours of 24 December 1841 in the Sonning Cutting through Sonning Hill, near Reading, Berkshire ... to Bristol Temple Meads station entered Sonning Cutting ... Recent heavy rain had saturated the soil in the cutting causing it to slip, covering the line on which the train was travelling ...
... This creates heat that builds up in the cutting zone, which degrades the tool life and locally melts the plastic ... Once the plastic melts, it just flows around the cutting edge instead of being removed by it ... Machinability can be improved by using high lubricity coolant and keeping the cutting area free of chip build up ...
Famous quotes containing the word cutting:
“So much for Mrs. Hollis’ nine months of pain and 20 years of hope.”
—Alvah Bessie, Ranald MacDougall, and Lester Cole. Raoul Walsh. Nameless GI, Objective Burma, cutting dog tags off a dead GI (1945)
“This man was very clever and quick to learn anything in his line. Our tent was of a kind new to him; but when he had once seen it pitched, it was surprising how quickly he would find and prepare the pole and forked stakes to pitch it with, cutting and placing them right the first time, though I am sure that the majority of white men would have blundered several times.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Simply because our times are complex, does it follow that our parenting must also be? Must we reject the common sense that what worked so well in the past just because our times are high-tech? We live in such fear of being called “old-fashioned” that we are cutting ourselves off from that which is proven.”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)