Final answer:
A bleeder resistor is used to reduce the voltage on a capacitor's plates to less than 50 volts after it has been electrically isolated for five minutes.
Step-by-step explanation:
A bleeder resistor is designed to reduce the voltage on a capacitor unit's plates to less than 50 volts after the unit has been electrically isolated for five minutes. The bleeder resistor is connected across the capacitor in parallel and provides a path for the discharge of charge from the capacitor. By having a much greater resistance than the effective resistance of the rest of the circuit, the bleeder resistor allows for a controlled discharge of the capacitor over a longer period of time, ensuring that the voltage on the capacitor gradually decreases to a safe level.