Terminations are characteristics of elongated structures or structures with at least one set of parallel sides.

Brittle materials or materials with no significant tensile strength tend to break with minimal new surface area created. That is also dependent on the orientation of the applied force relative to the long axis or the material. Bending creats a tensile force on one side and a compresive force on the other.

Surfaces deform inellastically before failing

Surfaces show no evidence of plastic deformation before failure.

Broomed terminations can be the result of high tensile strength and low compresive strength, as in the case with asbestos, or degradation of structures holding fiber bundles in place, as in the case of damage to the cuticle of hair.

High tensile strength and relatively low compresive strength can result in splintered terminations. Asbestos and wood are two common examples.

Hairs often have both the attachment termination and the distal termination, often tapered. Human hair may show a rounded termination as a result of growth after cutting (Nano-Squid, not really).

Terminations can be complex when they are the result of abrasion