Final answer:
Smooth muscle contracts in response to slow increases in length due to its stress-relaxation response, different from cardiac muscle which exhibits autorhythmicity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question explores the function of smooth muscle tissue. When asked which statement functionally describes smooth muscle, the correct answer is e. contracts in response to slow increases in length. This is due to a property known as the stress-relaxation response present in single-unit smooth muscle, like that found in the walls of viscera (visceral muscle). This type of smooth muscle can stretch, contract, and relax as the organ expands, which allows it to respond accordingly to gradual increases in length. This characteristic is distinct from cardiac muscle, which has the unique feature of autorhythmicity, meaning it can initiate and conduct an electrical potential spontaneously for its contractions, a property not found in smooth muscle.