Muscles

Muscle is a fibrous tissue in the body which has ability to contract.

When muscle contracts, it shortens and pulls the bone due to which the bone move at that joint.

A muscle can only pull a bone, it cannot push a bone.

The muscle joined to our bones work in pairs. When one muscle of a pair contracts, then the other muscle of a pair is relaxed.

A contracted muscle can come back to its original position only when the other muscle of the pair pulls it by contracting itself. Muscles are attached to the bones by fibres called tendons.

So, we can say that muscles and skeleton play an important role in movement of animals.

The skeleton is made up of bones joined together by fibres called ligaments. Before birth our skeleton is made up of cartilage and is soft. Later these cartilages get changed to bones. Bones become hard because of deposits of calcium and phosphorus.

Ligaments : A ligament is a fibrous connective tissue that connects one bone to the other bone.

Tendons : A tendon is a fibrous connective tissue that join muscles to the bones. Tendons and ligaments are both made up of collagen.

Illustration : What makes the bones move?

Solution:

Bones cannot move by themselves. It is your muscles, attached to the bones that make them move at the joints.

Muscles are like elastic bands. They are attached to the bones by means of tough connecting bands called tendons.

The muscles move the bones by their pull. Muscles cannot push.

Therefore, to move the bone in one direction, at least two sets of muscles are required.

For example, the up and down movements of your arm are controlled by two muscles : biceps and triceps.

NOTE : the bendiest muscle is the one you use to talk, eat, drink and lick. Its your tongue.

Note : The pattern of how you walk is called your gait. Many different disease and conditions can affect your gait and lead to problems with walking.

Sample Questions

(More Questions for each concept available in Login)

Question : 1

A cord of dense tissue that connects a muscle to a bone is a ______________
A. Ligament	B. Tendon	C. Cartilage	D. Fibre
Right Option : B
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Question : 2

_______________ is the bendiest muscle that is used to talk, eat, drink and lick.
A. Tongue		B. Tendons
C. Ligaments		D. None of these .
Right Option : A
View Explanation

Question : 3

Which of the following are correct ? (a) A muscle can only pull a bone, it cannot push a bone. (b) The muscle joined to our bones work in pairs. When one muscle of a pair contracts, then the other muscle of a pair is relaxed. (c) The contracted muscle can come back to its original position only when the other muscle of the pair pulls it by contracting itself.
A. Only (a) and (b) is correct .		B. Only (b) and (c) is correct .
C. Only (c) and (a) is correct .		D. All of these .
Right Option : D
View Explanation