What is the difference between yield point and elastic limit?

1. Elastic Limit and Yield Point may convey the same state of material that is but the latter is used for
engineering convenience.
Elastic limit is a value of stress upto which material can be deformed elastically under load, after unloading it will
return to it's original dimension. Beyond elastic limit, material will start deform plastically which is characterized
with permanent deformation. It is marked by breakage of bonds. Technically, it is a stress at which first of such
bond breaks. Limitations of measuring such delicate phenomena has made engineers to define another point at
which permanent deformation can be measured which is known as Yield Point (Offset).

The yield strength is defined as the stress which will

produce a small amount of permanent deformation, generally equal to a strain of 0.002 or 0.2%.

This is a real Engineering stress-strain curve for a ductile material.

Source : Mechanical metallurgy by G.E. Dieter.
So, for your question, in the region between the elastic limit and the yield point, material just deforms plastically,
although on extremely small scale.
P.S. Source that I have mentioned also contains explanation about stress-strain curve from the perspective of
molecular level. It is quite interesting to read.
1.

They are pretty much the same but also not the same.And encyclopedia britannica agrees with me,if I say
they are the same :
"ELASTIC LIMIT is the maximum stress within a solid material that can arise before the onset of permanent
deformation. When stresses up to the elastic limit are removed, the material resumes its original size and
shape. Stresses beyond the elastic limit cause a material to yield or flow. For such materials the elastic limit
marks the end of elastic
behaviour and the beginning of plastic
behaviour.
YIELD POINT is the amount of stress
in a solid at the onset of permanent deformation. The yield point, *alternatively called the elastic limit*,
marks the end of elastic

behaviour and the beginning of plastic

behaviour. When stresses less than the yield point are removed, the material returns to its original shape."
Yet a difference arises because of the definition...The elastic point marks the END OF ELASTICITY, while
the yield point marks the BEGINNING OF PLASTICITY..So obviously the yield point is outside the elastic
region.But since the jump between the 2 is so small,they're almost the same thing.Almost.When a material is
at the EL,and you apply a force (F0),it jumps to the YP.
2. Region between elastic point and yield point is known as Elastoplastic region. In ductile materials(like
mild steel) this elastoplastic region is large as compare to brittle materials(cast iron).In this region material
is partial elastic and partial plastic. It means if a material is loaded upto its Elastoplastic region, then
material will not recover its whole deformation.
Elastic
Limit-point upto which material shows elastic behaviour
Yield Point- material starts
going into platic state