A ductile material is one that undergoes significant plastic deformation before fracture, which means it can be drawn or stretched into shape without breaking. This characteristic is typically observed in materials like metals such as steel, aluminum, and copper. The material exhibits considerable elongation or change in shape without breaking, giving a visible sign of strain before failure occurs.
- Brittle fracture without warning is characteristic of brittle materials, which fracture suddenly without significant deformation.
- Large plastic deformation before breaking is the defining property of ductile materials, as they can sustain significant deformation before failure.
- High thermal conductivity is not a direct characteristic of ductility, although many ductile metals like copper have high thermal conductivity.
- High hardness refers to a material's ability to resist surface deformation and does not relate directly to ductility.
Thus, the correct answer is Large plastic deformation before breaking.