Work sheet -2 (Topic –Muscle)

1. Skeletal muscles contain muscle fibres and are arranged in antagonistic pairs.

(a) Place a cross (X) in the box to complete the statement about skeletal muscles. (1)

When a muscle fibre contracts, the number of myosin heads

(b) The diagram below shows part of a muscle fibre.

Place a cross (X) in the box to complete each statement about skeletal muscles.

(i) When a muscle fibre contracts, the labelled part that becomes shorter is (1)

(ii) The number of sarcomeres shown in the diagram is (1)

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(iii) The binding of calcium ions to troponin causes (1)

(iv) An enzyme that can break down ATP is found in (1)

(v) Slow twitch muscle fibres contain (1)

2. Ptarmigan are birds that live in Arctic regions where the winters are long and cold and very little food is
available. They move about by running and fly occasionally.

Just before the winter, these birds put on weight as stored fat. This increases their body mass by approximately
50%.

(a) The mean energy consumption per day for ptarmigan varies during the year.

Give one reason for each of the following suggestions.

(i) The daily energy consumption of the birds might be higher in winter. (1)

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(ii) The daily energy consumption of the birds might be lower in winter. (1)

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(b) The energy consumption of ptarmigan running at different speeds was investigated.

Measurements were made at the start of the winter and then again during the summer.

The graph below shows the energy consumption at different running speeds.

(i) Explain why the energy consumption at each running speed on the graph is shown per kg of body mass. (2)

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(ii) Compare the effects of running speed on energy consumption, for winter and summer. (3)

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(iii) Scientists suggested that ptarmigan muscles might have more slow twitch muscle fibres in the winter.

Describe the effect this might have on the behaviour of the ptarmigan. (2)

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(iv) Scientists suggested that elastic tissue in the legs of the ptarmigan could help the birds conserve energy by
running more efficiently.

Name a part of the leg joint that contains this elastic tissue. (1)

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(c) When ptarmigan run fast, there is a temporary build-up of lactate (lactic acid) in their leg muscles.

Describe what happens to the lactate produced in these muscles. (3)

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3. An investigation was carried out into the effect of pH on the contraction of muscle fibres.

Single muscle fibres were used with their surrounding membranes removed. These fibres will contract when
exposed to calcium ions in solution.

Isolated slow twitch and fast twitch fibres were tested at pH 7 and pH 6, in a range of calcium ion
concentrations.

Results for both types of fibre are shown in the graphs below.

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 (a) The sensitivity of a muscle fibre is defined as the concentration of calcium ions required to cause 50% of full
contraction.

Using the information in the graphs, complete the table below. (2)

(b) Using the information in the graphs, compare the effect of pH on slow twitch and fast twitch fibres. (2)

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(c) (i) Describe a circumstance that could cause a fall in pH in living muscle. (1)

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(ii) Suggest how the different responses of these two types of fibre to pH may be related to their different
functions in muscle. (2)

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(d) It is possible to replace the troponin in fast twitch fibres with troponin from slow twitch fibres. Fast twitch
fibres that have been treated in this way have the same sensitivity as slow twitch fibres.

Use your knowledge of the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction to explain why this might have been
predicted. (3)

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4. Dark chocolate contains a chemical called epicatechin.

An investigation was carried out to study the effect of epicatechin on mice.

Two groups of one-year-old male mice, group A and group B, were used in this investigation.

The mice in group A were given water containing epicatechin at a concentration of 1 mg per kg of their body
mass, twice a day for 15 days. The mice in group B were given water without epicatechin added.

All other variables were kept constant.

(a) Suggest why the mice in group A were given water containing epicatechin at a concentration of 1 mg per kg
of their body mass rather than at a concentration of 1 mg per mouse. (3)

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(b) After 15 days, skeletal muscle from the mice in the groups was compared.

(i) Skeletal muscle cells contain mitochondria. The surface areas of the inner and outer membranes of the
mitochondria were compared.

The surface area of the inner membrane was divided by the surface area of the outer membrane to obtain a
ratio.

The bar chart below shows the ratios for the two groups of mice.

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Use the information in the bar chart to describe the effect of epicatechin on the mitochondria. (2)

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(ii) The ability of the skeletal muscle to contract was compared. The time taken for the muscle to start to fatigue
(fail to contract) was recorded.

The results are shown in the table below.

Using information from the bar chart and your knowledge of respiration, suggest an explanation for the results
shown in the table. (5)

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5. The calf muscle in the human leg is composed of two separate muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus.

The position of these two muscles is shown in the diagram below.

(a) (i) The soleus muscle has a higher proportion of slow twitch fibres than fast twitch fibres.

Put a cross (X) in the box next to the row in the table that correctly identifies features of slow and fast twitch
muscle fibres. (1)

(ii) Put a cross (X) in the box next to the event that occurs before muscles contract. (1)

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 (b) Scientists investigated the change in the volume of muscle tissue in astronauts after six months spent in
space.

The volume of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles was measured before going into space and after landing
back on Earth.

The percentage decrease in volume of these muscles was calculated 4 days and 19 days after landing back on
Earth.

The graph below shows the results of this investigation.

(i) Using the information in the graph, describe the changes in the volume of the gastrocnemius and soleus
muscles. (2)

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(ii) The cellular levels of messenger RNA involved in the synthesis of actin change after landing on Earth.

Suggest how this might explain the change in muscle volume between 4 days and 19 days after landing on Earth.

(2)

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(iii) Actin is a structural protein found in the sarcomeres of a muscle fibre.

The diagram below shows one sarcomere.

Draw a line, labelled A, to show the location of actin in this sarcomere. (1)

(iv) Actin has a role in muscle contraction.

Name two structural proteins present in a sarcomere, other than actin, that have a role in muscle contraction.

(1)

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(c) The transcription of genes involved in making fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibres is affected during six
months in space.

The mean percentage of slow twitch muscle fibres is reduced by 15%.

Explain how this reduction affects the ability of astronauts to carry out exercise. (3)

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