1.6.4

Muscles

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Muscles

Muscles have evolved to help with a variety of functions. The human body actually contains many different types of muscle tissue.

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Role of muscle

  • Some of the roles played by muscles in humans include:
    • Locomotion (movement) of the body.
    • Release and movement of liquids and digested food.
    • Directing of the blood.
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Antagonistic pairs

  • Muscles are only able to contract (pull) and relax.
  • For this reason, you need muscles in antagonistic pairs.
    • That is, one muscle moves part of your body one way and the other muscle moves the same body part in the opposite direction.
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Triceps and biceps

  • The triceps muscle is on the back of your upper arm. It causes your arm to extend.
  • The biceps muscle is on the inside of your upper arm. It causes your arm to bend.
  • The triceps and biceps are an antagonistic pair because each of them moves the arm in the opposite direction.
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Quadriceps and hamstrings

  • The quadriceps is above the knee on the front of your leg.
    • It extends your leg.
  • The hamstring is above the back of your knee.
    • It bends your leg at the knee.
  • The quadriceps and hamstring oppose each other, and so are an antagonistic pair.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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