The Muscular System Practice Questions

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Updated on Sep 22, 2011

Review these concepts at: The Muscular System Study Guide

Practice Questions

1. What are the three types of muscle cells?  

a. cardiac, synaptic, skeletal  

b. cardiac, autonomic, smooth  

c. skeletal, cardiac, smooth  

d. smooth, cardiac, spinal

2. Which of the following is NOT true about skeletal muscles?  

a. They expand.  

b. They contract.  

c. They operate in antagonistic pairs.  

d. They are also known as striated muscles.

3. What are the two protein molecules responsible for the contraction of muscles?  

a. pepsin and insulin  

b. myosin and pepsin  

c. hemoglobin and insulin  

d. myosin and actin

4. When thinking about plant movement, why is it important for plants to produce seeds and spores?  

a. to guarantee survival of the sporophyte generation  

b. to have animals transport the seeds and spores to new locations because plants are rooted  

c. to feed animals  

d. to assist in the process of photosynthesis

5. Peristalsis is a process performed by which type of muscle tissue?  

a. catabolic  

b. cardiac  

c. smooth  

d. skeletal


1. c. These are the three types of muscle cells. Skeletal cells are also called striated and are involved in moving the bones at joints; cardiac muscles are found only in the heart; and smooth muscles are found in the digestive system and are involved in moving food by peristalsis.

2. a. Skeletal muscles work in antagonistic pairs (such as your biceps at the front of your upper arm and your triceps in the back) and only contract. One muscle in a pair contracts to move the limb, and then the opposing (antagonistic) muscle contracts to pull the limb back into its original position.

3. d. Myosin and actin are the two proteins that work in conjunction to cause muscle contraction.

4. b. Because plants are rooted and stationary, they are unable to move from place to place. One way in which plants establish themselves in a new territory is to rely upon animals (or wind or water) to transport seeds and spores that will germinate and develop into a new adult plant.

5. c. A smooth muscle performs peristalsis or rhythmic contractions to push foodstuffs along the length of the intestinal tract.

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