poisson's ratio ranges from 0.0-0.5 for common materials, though for materials with certain structures, can be as low as -1. a material with a poisson's ratio close to 0 (like cork) can be stretched a lot in the axial direction without changing much at all in the transverse, where as pulling on a material with a high poisson's ratio (like rubber) will cause it to become much more narrow. a material with a negative poisson's ratio will expand in all directions as it is stretched.