Year 10 - Physical education
Types of muscle and muscle fibre
Anatomy and physiology: the musculoskeletal system
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit will examine the structure and function of both the skeletal and the muscular systems. It includes locating major bones and muscles before defining and analysing what movements are possible at different joints.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to identify different types of muscle and different types of muscle fibre and explain their function.
Key Notes
- All skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles, they are under our conscious control (e.g. biceps).
- Involuntary muscles work without our conscious control and include the walls of our digestive system and blood vessels.
- Cardiac muscle is a specialist type of involuntary muscle that makes up the thickest layer of the heart.
- Fast twitch muscle fibres with a high speed and force of contraction are used for short, intense exercises.
- Slow twitch muscle fibres that are resistant to fatigue are used for long distance events.
Vocabulary To Learn
- voluntary: when something is under our conscious control
- involuntary: when something is not under our conscious control
- cardiac muscle: involuntary muscle found in the heart
- slow twitch: a type I muscle fibre type with slow speed and low force of contraction
- fast twitch: a type II muscle fibre with a fast speed and high force of contraction
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may get confused with the different names of fast/ slow and type I/ type II muscle fibres.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
All skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles, they are under our conscious control (e.g. biceps). Involuntary muscles work without our conscious control and include the walls of our digestive system and blood vessels.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'voluntary'
when something is under our conscious control.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Pupils may get confused with the different names of fast/ slow and type I/ type II muscle fibres. Correction: The word slow has an O in it and these fibres use oxygen to contract slowly and aerobically. They are our body's first choice of muscle fibre due to fatigue resistance, hence type I.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Bones and structure of the skeleton Study Guide
- Classification of bones Study Guide
- Classification of bones applied to performance in physical activities and sports Study Guide
- Classification of joints Study Guide
- Different joints and their movements Study Guide
- Joints and their movements Study Guide
- Movements possible at different joints Study Guide
- Muscles and antagonistic pairs Study Guide
- Muscles of the body and antagonistic pairs Study Guide
- Structure and function of the skeleton Study Guide
- Structure of a synovial joint Study Guide
- Synovial joint structure and function Study Guide
- The functions of the skeleton Study Guide
- Types of muscle contraction (isometric, concentric and eccentric) Study Guide
- Voluntary muscles and antagonistic pairs Study Guide
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