Deck 4: The Nervous System

Question 1

Which of the following is a fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone or muscle to muscle?

A) Joint
B) Cartilage
C) Ligament
D) Tendon

Answer 1

D

Question 2

An older woman you meet when walking your dog in the park mentions that she was just diagnosed as having osteoporosis. Which of the following most accurately describes what occurs in this condition?

A) Degeneration and compression of intervertebral discs
B) Severe bone loss due to resorption
C) Roughening of cartilage, which decreases flexibility and cushioning of bones
D) Weakening of tendons and ligaments

Answer 2

B

Question 3

You are describing skeletal muscle to a friend. Which of the following characteristics should you mention? Select all that apply.

A) Striated
B) Found in the walls of the digestive tract
C) Under voluntary control
D) Under pacemaker control
E) Special characteristics of excitability, contractility, extensibility, and elasticity

Answer 3

A, C, E

Question 4

Your grandfather, who is 84 years old, complains that his muscles are "wasting away" and that he feels increasingly fatigued and frail as he ages. Which condition should you most suspect that your grandfather is experiencing?

A) Arthritis
B) Osteoporosis
C) Bursitis
D) Sarcopenia

Question 5

Your friend is stretching before going on a run and you notice that she can stretch her quadriceps muscles to an impressive degree. Which characteristic of skeletal muscle is your friend demonstrating?

A) Excitability
B) Contractility
C) Extensibility
D) Elasticity

Question 6

Phil is a man in his mid-60s who operates the newsstand down the street from where you live. Recently you've noticed that Phil's eyelids sag and that his speech is harder for you to understand than it used to be. Which of the following age-related conditions should you most suspect in Phil?

A) Polymyalgia rheumatica
B) Myasthenia gravis
C) Paget's disease
D) Osteomalacia

Question 7

You are a nurse working in a senior center and are preparing to teach a class on prevention of osteoporosis. Explain the role of exercise in prevention of this disorder and make specific recommendations on types, frequency, and duration of exercise that would be appropriate for this purpose.

Question 8

Identify and briefly describe the four important functions that skeletal muscle performs.