Loading please wait

The smart way to improve grades

Comprehensive & curriculum aligned

Try an activity or get started for free

Differentiate Between the Types of Muscle and Their Functions

In this worksheet, students will differentiate between the different types of muscle and their functions.

'Differentiate Between the Types of Muscle and Their Functions' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 3

Year:  Year 7 Science worksheets

Curriculum topic:   Biology: Structure and Function of Living Organisms

Curriculum subtopic:   Skeletal and Muscular Systems

Difficulty level:  

Worksheet Overview

Did you know the smallest muscle in the human body is only 1 mm long?!  It's called the stapedius muscle and found in the ear.

 

The muscles and bones in the body interact with one another to allow movement. This is known as biomechanics.

 

Image of the muscles in the human body

 

Muscle cells are specialised cells and they work together to form muscle tissue. Muscles work really hard and in order to do their job they have certain adaptations, for example they have lots of mitochondria. Mitochondria is an organelle where energy is produced from respiration. Muscles also have a good supply of blood. Blood carries oxygen which is also needed for respiration, along with glucose from our food to produce energy.

 

Why do muscles need so much energy? So they can contract (shorten/tighten). This allows them to pull on bones to allow movement.

 

Image of muscle contracting

 

So what type of muscles are there?

There are three main groups of muscle:

 

Image of the different types of muscle

 

1. Skeletal muscle - this is the main group of muscle found in the body. Tendons attach muscles to the bone, these muscles allow us to move.  We can see from the image above that when a muscle contracts it gets shorter and thicker and ends up pulling on a tendon which pulls on the bone it's attached to, making it move.  A force is produced by the muscle (you may remember from your physics lessons that forces are measured in Newtons).

 

2. Cardiac muscle - found in our heart and helps to pump blood around the body. 

 

3. Smooth muscle - controls involuntary movement like in our stomach and intestines, helping our food to pass along our digestive system.

 

In this activity, we're going to look at the different type of muscles and their functions.

What is EdPlace?

We're your National Curriculum aligned online education content provider helping each child succeed in English, maths and science from year 1 to GCSE. With an EdPlace account you’ll be able to track and measure progress, helping each child achieve their best. We build confidence and attainment by personalising each child’s learning at a level that suits them.

Get started
laptop

Try an activity or get started for free

  • National Tutoring Awards 2023 Shortlisted / Parents
    National Tutoring Awards 2023 Shortlisted
  • Private-Tutoring-WINNER-EducationInvestor-Awards / Parents
    Winner - Private Tutoring
  • Bett Awards Finalist / Parents
    Finalist
  • Winner - Best for Home Learning / Parents
    Winner - Best for Home Learning / Parents