Which term refers to the uniform forces acting on a body of rock from all directions?

The term that refers to the uniform forces acting on a body of rock from all directions is uniform stress. This concept helps to describe how stress is applied evenly across a rock body, meaning that all parts of the rock experience the same level of stress simultaneously. Uniform stress is crucial in geologic processes because it affects how rocks deform and fracture, leading to insights about their structural integrity under various conditions.

In this context, confining stress also describes forces acting on a rock but is more specifically related to the pressure exerted on the rock by the weight of overlying materials. Resistance stress refers to the stress that a rock can withstand before failing, while compressive stress specifically refers to forces that push materials together, causing them to shorten or deform. Thus, while all these terms relate to stress in geological contexts, uniform stress is the most accurate term for the scenario described.