Final answer:
The Golgi tendon organ detects the force of muscle contraction and manages tension through Ib afferent nerve fibers to prevent muscle and tendon damage from excessive contraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Golgi tendon organ is a proprioceptive sensory receptor organ that is at the junctions of muscles and tendons. Its primary role is to monitor and manage muscle tension by detecting changes in muscle contraction force, rather than muscle length. When the force of a muscle contraction becomes too great, the Golgi tendon organs are activated, and they send inhibitory signals to the spinal cord through Ib afferent nerve fibers. This helps to prevent potential damage to the tendons and muscles due to excessive contraction force.
Thus, the correct answer to the student's question is C. Monitors and maintains force; Ib afferents.
The role of the Golgi Tendon Organ is to monitor and maintain force in muscles. When the muscle contracts and generates tension, the Golgi Tendon Organ senses the force exerted and sends signals to the brain to regulate the muscle contractions. The afferent recruited by the Golgi Tendon Organ is the Ib afferent.