Force per unit area. True stress denotes stress determined by measuring force and area at the same time. Conventional stress, as applied to tension and compression tests, is force divided by original area. Nominal stress is stress computed by simple elasticity formula. It can be divided into components, normal and parallel to the plane, called normal stress and shear stress, receptively. Nominal stress, ignoring stress raisers and disregarding plastic flow, in a notch bend test, for example, it is bending moment divided by minimum section modulus. See also residual stress.