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Peak Performance Term 1
How do muscles make movement in the body.
Movement occurs through the interaction of bones, skeletal muscles, and joints. When skeletal muscles contract, they exert forces on tendons, which pull on the bones, causing joint movement.
Define smooth muscles
Smooth muscles are involuntary muscles found in the walls of internal organs, such as the intestines and blood vessels, and are responsible for processes like digestion and blood flow regulation.
Define cardiac muscles
Cardiac muscles are specialised involuntary muscles found only in the heart, responsible for pumping blood throughout the body and maintaining a consistent heartbeat.
Define skeletal muscles
Skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles attached to bones that enable movement and are under conscious control, playing a crucial role in locomotion and posture.
Explain the function of postural muscles
Help maintain the body's posture and stability by supporting the spine and keeping the body upright during various activities.
How do muscles generate heat in the body
Muscles generate heat through the process of cellular respiration during physical activity, as energy is produced and some of it is released as heat, helping to maintain body temperature (homeostasis).
Characteristics of skeletal muscles
Attached to the bones
Striated (Alternating light and dark bands)
Contracts voluntarily
Characteristics of smooth muscles
Found in the walls of hollow internal structures
Non-striated
Involuntary
Characteristics of cardiac muscles
Forms the bulk of the heart wall
Striated
Involuntary
Definition of HOW muscles are controlled
All muscles are controlled by nerve stimuli and are fed by capillaries
Contractility is the ability of the muscle to…
shorten
Extensibility is the ability of the muscle to …
lengthen
Elasticity is the ability of the muscle to return to its ….
original size
Atrophy is the … of the muscle tissue
wasting
Hypertrophy is the … in size of muscle tissue
increase
Define flexion in joint movement
Decreasing the angle between two bones and shortening muscle length
Function of gastrocnemius muscle
involved in the movement of the lower leg and is important for activities like walking and running
Importance of antagonistic pairs in muscle movement
Allow for controlled movement and stability (as one muscle contracts, the other relaxes)
