Final answer:
As the load on a muscle increases, muscle tension increases due to heightened nervous stimulus and energy demand, leading to greater oxygen consumption as well.
Step-by-step explanation:
As the load on a muscle increases, muscle tensionC. also increases. This is because muscle contraction involves an increase in the tension or a decrease in the length of the muscle as the muscle fibers receive a nervous stimulus. As the muscle works harder, the demand for energy also goes up, leading to an increased consumption of oxygenB. to support the production of ATP. However, contrary to some misunderstandings, muscle contraction speed does not necessarily increase; it is dictated by factors such as muscle fiber type and the frequency of neural stimulation. Moreover, muscle relaxation is a process that requires ATP and also does not increase with load; in fact, relaxation must occur properly for cycles of contraction to continue.