Final answer:
The statement is true; maximum muscle tension is developed when the sarcomere's actin and myosin filaments have the greatest overlap, allowing for optimal cross-bridge formation and efficient muscle contraction using the Sliding Filament Model.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the greater the zone of overlap in the sarcomere, the greater the tension the muscle can develop is true. During muscle contraction, it is the ideal length of the sarcomere between 80% to 120% of its resting length, which allows for the maximal overlap of actin-binding sites and myosin heads. Within this range, the maximum number of cross-bridges can form, leading to the greatest tension produced by the muscle. Stretching a sarcomere beyond this ideal range or shortening it to the point where actin filaments start to overlap each other, results in a decrease in tension production because the number of myosin heads that can bind to actin decreases.
The dynamic process involves ATP and muscle contraction, where myosin heads bind to actin and pull them inwards—this action uses energy provided by ATP. During a contraction, regions such as the H zone and the I band are shortened, but the A band stays the same length. This slide of the thin filaments over the thick filaments, known as the Sliding Filament Model of muscle contraction, increases the overlap and thus, the potential for tension development.