Tensile strength measures what type of force?

Tensile strength specifically measures the amount of tensile (pulling) force that a material can withstand before failing or fracturing. It reflects the material's ability to resist being pulled apart, indicating how much stress it can endure when a force is applied in a stretching manner. When assessing the tensile strength of steel, for instance, you're determining the maximum pressure or force that must be applied to fracture the steel under tension.

Therefore, the recognition that tensile strength correlates with the pressure needed to fracture materials under tensile stress affirms the correctness of the answer. In the context of the physical properties of materials, understanding tensile strength is crucial for ensuring that components can endure the forces expected in real-world applications without failing.