Final answer:
It is true that collagen fibers can be stronger than steel fibers of the same size on a per weight basis, providing significant tensile strength to connective tissues such as ligaments and tendons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question whether collagen fibers are stronger than steel fibers of the same size is true to some extent. On a per weight basis, collagen fibers can be stronger than steel, providing great tensile strength. The organic portion or protein fibers found in connective tissues include collagen, elastic, or reticular fibers. Collagen fibers are particularly noteworthy for their strength and are a major component of dense connective tissue.
These fibers are aligned parallel to each other in dense regular connective tissue, such as ligaments and tendons, giving these structures high resistance to stretching and the ability to return to their original shape.