Muscles

Revision Summary
Action of muscles
Muscles undergo:
- Contraction which shortens the length of the muscle, increases diameter
- Relaxation which allows length of muscle to return to its original length,
decreases diameter

Antagonistic muscles: Present in pairs and act in opposite ways, when one contracts,
the other relaxes. Having muscles in pairs enable a reversal of the action (as muscles
can only contract and relax and one set brings about 1 action).

Action & Muscle Action Effect

Arm movement: Contraction of biceps Forearm pulled upwards
Attached to the skeleton: (Relaxation of triceps)
Skeletal

Biceps and triceps Contraction of triceps Forearm pulled down

(antagonistic) (Relaxation of biceps)
Knee jerk reflex: Contraction of upper thigh muscle Lower leg kicks upwards
Upper thigh muscle
Peristalsis: Circular muscle Contraction of circular muscle Narrows lumen of gut, pushes
and longitudinal muscle in gut (Relaxation of longitudinal muscle) food forward
wall (antagonistic)
Gut

Contraction of longitudinal muscle Shortens length of gut (widens

Accomodation:
Cilary muscles attached to
lens via suspensory
ligaments (ligaments are
passive, they cannot
Eye
(Relaxation of circular muscle)
Contraction of ciliary muscles
(Slackens pull of ligaments on
lens)
Relaxation of ciliary muscles
(Increases upll of ligaments on
lumen of gut), pulls food forward,
allows food to move forward
Elastic lens becomes thicker,
more convex, refracts light rays
from nearby object
Elastic lens becomes thinner, less
convex, refracts light rays from

contract/relax) lens) faraway object

Entry of light into eye: Contraction of circular muscles Pupil constricts (less light enters
Iris: (Relaxation of radial muscles) into eye)
Circular muscles Contraction of radial muscles Pupil dilates (more light enters
Radial muscles (Relaxation of circular muscles) into eye)