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Muscle

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Key Stage 1

Meaning

A muscle is a part of the body that makes us move.

Key Stage 2

Meaning

This picture shows the muscles covering the human skeleton.

A muscle is a part of the body that can get shorter or longer to allow us to move about.

About Muscles

In a human the muscles are attached to bones in the skeleton.
Muscles can relax which means get longer or that can contract which means they get shorter.
When we exercise it makes our muscles bigger and stronger.

Examples

FaceMuscles.png
ArmMuscles.png
The muscles in the human face. The muscles in the arm.
CowMuscles.png
SheepMuscles.png
The muscles covering a cow skeleton. The muscles under the skin of a sheep.

Key Stage 3

Meaning

The bicep and tricep are an antagonistic pair of muscles.

Muscles are organs in the muscular system which allow us to move.

About Muscles

Muscles are made of muscle tissue.
The cells in the muscles have a special part called 'muscle fibres' which can make the cells shorter or longer.
When a muscle gets shorter it has contracted and when a muscle gets longer it has relaxed.
Most muscles come in antagonistic pairs. This means when one contracts the other must relax.
AntagonisticPair.png
When a muscle contracts it is called the 'agonist' and when it relaxes it is called the 'antagonist'.

Key Stage 4

Meaning

Muscles are organs in the muscular system which allow us to move.

About Muscles

Muscles are made of muscle tissue.
The cells in the muscles have a special part called 'muscle fibres' which can make the cells shorter or longer.
When a muscle gets shorter it has contracted and when a muscle gets longer it has relaxed.
Most muscles come in antagonistic pairs. This means when one contracts the other must relax.
AntagonisticPair.png
When a muscle contracts it is called the 'agonist' and when it relaxes it is called the 'antagonist'.

Beyond the Curriculum

References

AQA

Muscles, pages 10-11, 134, 136-138, GCSE Biology; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA