The muscular system Flashcards
What are the three properties of skeletal muscle?
Extensibility
Elasticity
Contractability
Define extensibility
The ability of muscle tissue to lengthen
Define Elasticity
The ability of the muscle to return to its normal resting length once it has been stretched.
Define contractability
The capacity for a muscle to contract or shorten forcibly when stimulated by nerves and hormones.
What are the three functions of the skeletal muscle?
Movement
Support and posture
Heat production
How does skeletal muscles cause movement?
Attach to the bone, against which they pull to enable movement.
How does skeletal muscle affect posture?
Muscles are in a constant state of contraction.
Muscles in legs and torso contract statically to maintain balance.
How does the skeletal muscle assist heat production?
The contraction of skeletal muscle involves the production of energy. In breaking down glycogen to produce this energy, heat is produced.
List the characteristics of slow twitch muscle fibres.
Red Contract slowly Aerobic Endurance based Can contract repeatedly Exert less force
List the characteristics of fats twitch muscle fibres.
White Contract rapidly Anaerobic Speed/strength based Easily exhausted Exert greater force
What is another name for Type 2a muscle fibres?
Fast oxidative glycolytic fibres
What is another name for type 2b muscle fibres?
Fast-twitch glycolytic fibres
Give examples of the exercises that are performed by type 2a muscle fibres?
200m swim or 800m run
Describe the characteristic of type 2a muscle fibres.
Can pick up certain type 1 characteristics through endurance training.
Tend to have a greater resistance to fatigue.
Type 2b muscle fibres are much bigger than type 2b. What else is different in their biological make-up?
The motor neurone that carries the impulse is much larger.