Brittle fracture is a type of material failure that occurs suddenly and without significant deformation. It typically happens in materials that are rigid and have low ductility, such as certain metals, glass, and ceramics. When stress is applied, these materials can reach a critical point where they break apart, often along specific planes. This type of fracture is characterized by a clean break and can be influenced by factors like temperature, loading rate, and the presence of flaws or defects in the material. Understanding brittle fracture is important in fields like engineering and materials science to prevent catastrophic failures in structures and components.