What characteristic of insulation is measured to determine safety standards?

The characteristic of insulation that is measured to determine safety standards is resistance. Insulation is designed to prevent the flow of electric current, and its effectiveness in doing so can be quantified by its resistance value. A higher resistance indicates that the insulation material is better at preventing electrical leakage, which is crucial for safety in electrical systems.

Measuring resistance helps ensure that the insulation can adequately protect against shorts, electrical shocks, and fires that can result from current leakage. Adequate resistance levels are vital for maintaining the integrity and reliability of electrical systems, ultimately ensuring that standards are met for safety.

In contrast, while electrical conductivity measures how easily electricity can flow through a material (the inverse of resistance), it is not used as a primary measure for insulation safety. Capacity pertains to a material's ability to store electric charge, which is relevant in the context of capacitors rather than insulation. Inductance measures how effectively an electrical circuit can store energy in a magnetic field, which is also unrelated to insulation performance.