Mechanical tests of metals can be classified as either destructive or non-destructive. Destructive tests include tensile tests, used on ductile materials to measure strength and elongation; compression tests, used on brittle materials to measure reduction in length; and shear tests, which apply a pure shear force. Hardness tests include Brinell, Vickers, and Rockwell tests, which measure the hardness of a material by pressing an indenter into a specimen. Impact tests like Izod and Charpy tests study a material's behavior under sudden load. Fatigue tests determine a material's ability to withstand repeated stresses. Creep tests apply a steady load to determine the stress at which a material will not break over infinite time