Define tensile strength.

Tensile strength refers to the maximum amount of tensile stress that a material can withstand before it experiences failure, which can manifest as necking, fracture, or permanent deformation. It is a crucial property in materials science and engineering, as it determines how much load a material can bear while being stretched or pulled. Understanding tensile strength is fundamental for applications in construction, manufacturing, and product design, since it influences safety, performance, and durability.

Other options describe different material properties: the first pertains to compressive strength, which relates to how a material withstands squeezing forces; the third suggests a measure related to density but does not connect specifically to tensile properties; and the fourth discusses electrical conductivity, which is irrelevant to tensile behavior. Each of these properties emphasizes different aspects of material behavior under various conditions, thus highlighting the unique and critical nature of tensile strength in evaluating materials.