What term describes the energy stored in a material due to deformation?

The term that describes the energy stored in a material due to deformation is strain energy. This energy is a result of the work done on a material when it is deformed, such as when it is stretched, compressed, or bent.

When a material is subjected to stress, it deforms, and the energy associated with this deformation becomes stored within the material. If the load is removed and the material returns to its original shape, this energy can be released, often used in applications like springs or rubber bands, which showcase the material's ability to return to its initial state.

While elastic energy refers specifically to the energy stored in a material when it is deformed elastically (and it can be considered synonymous with strain energy for elastic deformations), the more encompassing term in a broader context that fits the question is strain energy. Kinetic energy relates to the energy of motion, and potential energy generally refers to energy stored due to an object's position in a field, such as gravitational potential energy, which is different from energy stored due to deformation.