What process refers to the stiffening of muscles post-death?

The process referring to the stiffening of muscles after death is rigor mortis. This phenomenon occurs due to biochemical changes in the muscles following death. Once the heart stops beating and circulation ceases, the body undergoes a series of changes as it begins to decompose. The muscle cells experience a lack of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is crucial for muscle relaxation. As a result, the muscles become rigid.

Rigor mortis typically starts within a few hours after death and can last for several days, depending on the environmental conditions and the individual's physical state at the time of death. Understanding rigor mortis is vital for medical death investigators as it provides important clues regarding the time of death, helping to establish a timeline of events leading up to and following the individual's demise.

In contrast, algor mortis refers to the cooling of the body post-mortem, livor mortis involves the pooling of blood due to gravity, and skeletonization is the process of bones remaining after soft tissues have decomposed. Each of these processes relates to different aspects of post-mortem changes, but rigor mortis specifically addresses the stiffening of muscles.