What property describes a polymer's ability to stretch and return to its original shape in the short term?

The correct choice is elasticity, which refers to a polymer's capacity to stretch and then return to its original shape without permanent deformation. This property is crucial in many applications where products need to withstand forces and recover their form after being deformed.

Elastic materials respond to applied stress in a reversible manner, meaning that once the stress is removed, the material returns to its initial configuration. This characteristic is essential for various applications in the manufacturing of flexible materials, ensuring durability and longevity in items subjected to mechanical stress.

The other terms describe different behaviors: viscoelasticity involves both viscous and elastic characteristics, typically observed in polymers over longer periods; plasticity refers to the ability of a material to undergo permanent deformation without fracturing, and ductility concerns a material's ability to deform plastically before rupture. These properties are relevant but do not pertain directly to the immediate recovery of shape after stretching.