Which of the following accurately describes brittle materials?

Brittle materials are characterized by their tendency to fracture with minimal deformation when subjected to stress. This means they do not exhibit significant plastic deformation before failure, which is a key feature that distinguishes them from ductile materials. Instead of bending or stretching, brittle materials will break suddenly without warning and without undergoing much prior change in shape.

The option stating that they do not deform significantly before fracture captures this fundamental behavior accurately. In contrast, the other statements imply properties that are more associated with ductile materials. For example, significant deformation before fracture, a clear yield point, and large strains are all characteristics of ductile materials, where one would observe noticeable deformation leading up to failure. Thus, the selected answer aligns perfectly with the defining characteristics of brittle materials.