Muscles (Pg 12-22, Nelson)
All work to be completed in your workbooks. Full sentence answers or stick this page in your
book.
1. Spend some time looking at pictures of the muscles on page 11. Try and work out where
these muscles are on your own body. Get to know the major muscle groups (chest, back,
arms, legs, torso).
2. Compare and contrast the 3 types of muscles. Draw up a table that includes purpose,
appearance, and whether they are voluntary/involuntary.
Muscle
Cardiac Muscles
Smooth Muscles
Skeletal Muscles
Purpose
Line heart wall –
Beat/pump
Digestion, blood
movement
Skeletal movements
Appearance
Striped appearance
Voluntary/Involuntary
Involuntary
Spindle cells
Involuntary
Striped cells
Voluntary
3. Summarise the other functions of muscle
All skeletal movements result from muscles pulling on bone. They also provide support
and allow an upright posture. Many muscles contract statically/isometrically also known
as muscle tone. Muscles also produce heat when energy is produced from foods/fuels to
allow contractions. Skeletal muscles can also contract involuntarily – shivering.
4. Differentiate between
a) ligaments and tendons
Ligaments connect bone to bone. Tendons connect muscle to bone
b) origin and insertion
Origin attaches to a stable or flat bone. Insertion attaches to a bone it pulls on.
c) agonist prime mover and antagonist Opposite muscle
5. Accurately describe the process of reciprocal inhibition, use an example to assist your
answer.
Reciprocal inhibition occurs when one muscle contracts and its opposite relaxes to allow
movements to occur. Flexion of the Elbow – Biceps contracts – Triceps Relax
6. What is a prime mover – causes movement (biceps responsible for flexing elbow) and a
stabiliser – provides stability to the origin – Traps stabilize the scapula during elbow
flexion.
7. Complete ‘Student Activity’ on page 14. You may complete one or all tasks, ask teacher
for sticky labels for activity 1.
8. Complete Thinking Things Through on Page 16.
1. List 4 examples of fusiform muscles
Any four of the following: biceps, sartorius, rectus abdominus, brachioradialis, tibialis anterior,
illiopsoas, soleus, plantaris or palmaris longus.
2. Pennate muscles have a larger cross sectional area and number of fibres than fusiform
muscles and as such can generate more force and power. Pennation allows more fibres to be
packed into any given length of muscle when compared to fusiform arrangements.
3. Fusiform muscles are able to generate greater contractile velocities, which are traded off for
lower force outputs. This occurs because longer muscles can contract over a greater distance
and develop higher shortening velocities.
4. a Ligaments connect bones to bones and if they are ‘stretched’ will often lead to immediate
inflammation and pain at the site. This will often also be associated with joint instability because
the ‘fit’ or ‘bone association’ has been compromised, and can lead to dislocations and further
injuries because the joints are able to move in excess of their normal range of motion.
b Ligaments connect bones to bones, whereas tendons connect muscles to bones.
c Ligaments have poorer blood supply than tendons, and are often subjected to greater
stress/force because of the fact that they span a joint.
9. Read Page 16-22. Familiarise yourself with the following terms: myofibrils, sarcomere,
myosin, actin, mitochondria, enzymes, I-band, A-band, H-zone, motor unit, neurons,
synapse.