How is the length of a skeletal muscle cell related to the force it can generate?
A)The tension in a skeletal muscle cell is greatest when contractions occur at either very short or very long lengths.
B)Skeletal muscle cells generate the same amount of force,regardless of their length.
C)The shorter a skeletal muscle cell is when it begins to contract,the stronger the force generation will be.
D)The longer a skeletal muscle cell is when it begins to contract,the stronger the force generation will be.
E)Skeletal muscle cells generate the most force when the contraction occurs at an intermediate length.

Question

How is the length of a skeletal muscle cell related to the force it can generate?
A)The tension in a skeletal muscle cell is greatest when contractions occur at either very short or very long lengths.
B)Skeletal muscle cells generate the same amount of force,regardless of their length.
C)The shorter a skeletal muscle cell is when it begins to contract,the stronger the force generation will be.
D)The longer a skeletal muscle cell is when it begins to contract,the stronger the force generation will be.
E)Skeletal muscle cells generate the most force when the contraction occurs at an intermediate length.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The length-tension relationship of skeletal muscle states that the force generated by the muscle is dependent on its length at the time of contraction. The optimal force generation occurs when the muscle is at an intermediate length, where there is maximum overlap between the actin and myosin filaments within the muscle fibers. When the muscle is too stretched or too contracted, the filaments have less overlap, resulting in reduced force generation. Therefore, choice E is the correct answer.

How Is the Length of a Skeletal Muscle Cell Related