What term describes a muscle's ability to return to its original length after being stretched?

The term that describes a muscle's ability to return to its original length after being stretched is elasticity. This property is essential for muscle function, allowing muscles to stretch during movement and then return to their resting length. Elasticity is a key characteristic of muscle tissue, facilitating the efficient transmission of forces generated by muscles during activities like running, jumping, or lifting.

In contrast, tension refers to the force generated by a muscle as it contracts, contractility is the ability of muscle fibers to shorten and generate force, and extensibility is the ability of a muscle to stretch or lengthen. While all these properties are important for muscle function, elasticity specifically pertains to the muscle's capacity to revert back to its original shape after deforming, which is critical for maintaining muscle integrity and performance during physical activities.