The Ability of Muscle Tissue to Shorten or Decrease in Length

Question

The ability of muscle tissue to shorten or decrease in length is called
A) excitability
B) elasticity
C) contractility
D) extensibility
E) irritability

Accepted Answer

Contractility refers to the ability of muscle tissue to shorten or decrease in length, which is the best choice for this definition. Excitability, elasticity, and irritability are related to the function of muscle tissue but do not specifically refer to the ability to shorten. Extensibility refers to the ability of muscle tissue to stretch or increase in length, which is the opposite of contractility.