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BIO 140 Human Biology I - Questions and Solutions

Skeletal Muscle - Solutions

Review Questions

1. The correct order for the smallest to the largest unit of organization in muscle tissue is ________.

  1. fascicle, filament, muscle fiber, myofibril
  2. filament, myofibril, muscle fiber, fascicle
  3. muscle fiber, fascicle, filament, myofibril
  4. myofibril, muscle fiber, filament, fascicle

2. Depolarization of the sarcolemma means ________.

  1. the inside of the membrane has become less negative as sodium ions accumulate
  2. the outside of the membrane has become less negative as sodium ions accumulate
  3. the inside of the membrane has become more negative as sodium ions accumulate
  4. the sarcolemma has completely lost any electrical charge

 

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Critical Thinking Questions

1. What would happen to skeletal muscle if the epimysium were destroyed?

Solution: Muscles would lose their integrity during powerful movements, resulting in muscle damage.

2. Describe how tendons facilitate body movement.

Solution: When a muscle contracts, the force of movement is transmitted through the tendon, which pulls on the bone to produce skeletal movement.

3. What are the five primary functions of skeletal muscle?

Solution: Produce movement of the skeleton, maintain posture and body position, support soft tissues, encircle openings of the digestive, urinary, and other tracts, and maintain body temperature.

4. What are the opposite roles of voltage-gated sodium channels and voltage-gated potassium channels?

Solution: The opening of voltage-gated sodium channels, followed by the influx of Na+, transmits an Action Potential after the membrane has sufficiently depolarized. The delayed opening of potassium channels allows K+ to exit the cell, to repolarize the membrane.

 

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OpenStax, Skeletal Muscle. OpenStax CNX. Jun 4, 2013 http://cnx.org/contents/6df8aab3-1741-4016-b5a9-ac51b52fade0@3. © Jun 4, 2013 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 license.