Final answer:
Muscle contraction occurs when thick and thin filaments slide past each other in a process known as the sliding filament model of muscle contraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Muscle contraction works by the sliding filaments: Muscle contraction occurs when thick and thin filaments slide past each other in a process known as the sliding filament model of muscle contraction. The thick myosin filaments repeatedly attach to and pull on thin actin filaments, shortening the sarcomeres within the muscle fiber. This shortening of sarcomeres leads to the overall contraction of the muscle fiber.