Here are 50 multiple-choice questions on muscle physiology based on the provided text, in

various formats, suitable for a 1st-year MBBS exam.

Type 1: Single Best Answer (Standard MCQ)
1.​ Which of the following muscle types accounts for 40% of the body mass? A) Cardiac
muscle B) Smooth muscle C) Skeletal muscle D) Visceral muscle ;C) Skeletal muscle
2.​ Muscle cells can be excited by which of the following stimuli to produce an action
potential? A) Thermal only B) Chemical, electrical, and mechanical C) Optical only D)
Magnetic only ;B) Chemical, electrical, and mechanical
3.​ Skeletal muscle fibers are characterized by which of the following? A) Single nucleus per
cell B) Branched structure C) Multinucleated D) Non-striated ;C) Multinucleated
4.​ The cell membrane of a muscle fiber is known as the: A) Sarcoplasm B) Myofibril C)
Sarcolemma D) Endomysium ;C) Sarcolemma
5.​ Which of the following is a primary function of skeletal muscles? A) Regulate blood
pressure B) Produce movement C) Secrete hormones D) Absorb nutrients ;B) Produce
movement
6.​ Transverse tubules (T tubules) play a crucial role in muscle contraction by: A) Storing
glycogen B) Transmitting action potential through the cell C) Synthesizing proteins D)
Producing ATP ;B) Transmitting action potential through the cell
7.​ Muscle striations are due to the alternating pattern of: A) Collagen and elastin fibers B)
Dark, thick filaments (A bands) and light, thin filaments (I bands) C) Mitochondria and
sarcoplasmic reticulum D) Epimysium and perimysium ;B) Dark, thick filaments (A bands)
and light, thin filaments (I bands)
8.​ The H band within a sarcomere contains: A) Only thin filaments B) Only thick filaments C)
Overlapping thick and thin filaments D) Z line ;B) Only thick filaments
9.​ Myofibrils are made up of bundles of protein filaments called: A) Microtubules B)
Intermediate filaments C) Myofilaments D) Neurofilaments ;C) Myofilaments
10.​The thin filaments in muscle are primarily composed of which protein? A) Myosin B)
Troponin C) Actin D) Titin ;C) Actin
11.​The Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR) forms chambers called: A) T tubules B) Z lines C)
Terminal cisternae D) M lines ;C) Terminal cisternae
12.​Muscle contraction is primarily caused by interactions between which two types of
filaments? A) Intermediate and thick filaments B) Thin and thick filaments C) Elastic and
thin filaments D) Collagen and thick filaments ;B) Thin and thick filaments
13.​The contractile protein abundant in muscles is: A) Keratin B) Collagen C) Myosin D)
Elastin ;C) Myosin
14.​Contraction of skeletal muscle is under what type of control? A) Involuntary B) Autonomic
C) Voluntary D) Reflexive ;C) Voluntary
15.​What neurotransmitter is released at the neuromuscular junction to initiate muscle action
potentials? A) Dopamine B) Serotonin C) Acetylcholine (ACh) D) Norepinephrine ;C)
Acetylcholine (ACh)
16.​Which of the following proteins is directly involved in the contractile mechanism of
muscle? A) Desmin B) Vimentin C) Tropomyosin D) Keratin ;C) Tropomyosin
17.​How many subunits make up Troponin? A) One B) Two C) Three D) Four ;C) Three
18.​The specialized structure under the motor nerve ending where muscle fiber membrane
depolarization normally starts is the: A) Sarcomere B) Z line C) Motor end plate D) H band
;C) Motor end plate
19.​A single action potential causing a brief contraction followed by relaxation is called a: A)
Tetanus B) Summation C) Muscle twitch D) Fasciculation ;C) Muscle twitch
 20.​"Fast" muscle fibers, concerned with fine, rapid, precise movement, can have twitch
durations as short as: A) 100 ms B) 50 ms C) 7.5 ms D) 200 ms ;C) 7.5 ms
21.​The process of recording the electrical activity of muscle on an oscilloscope is called: A)
Electrocardiography B) Electroencephalography C) Electromyography D)
Electrogastrography ;C) Electromyography
22.​During skeletal muscle contraction, what ion is released from the Sarcoplasmic
Reticulum? A) Sodium (Na+) B) Potassium (K+) C) Calcium (Ca2+) D) Chloride (Cl-) ;C)
Calcium (Ca2+)
23.​What happens to calcium ions during skeletal muscle relaxation? A) They bind more to
troponin. B) Their concentration increases. C) They detach from troponin. D) They are
released from the SR. ;C) They detach from troponin.
24.​Cardiac muscle cells are characterized by: A) Non-striated appearance B) Fusiform shape
C) Branching pattern and generally uninucleate cells D) Voluntary control ;C) Branching
pattern and generally uninucleate cells
25.​Smooth muscle is primarily found in the walls of: A) Skeletal joints B) Hollow organs C)
The heart D) The brain ;B) Hollow organs
26.​What happens immediately after acetylcholine binds to membrane receptors on the
sarcolemma at the motor end plate? A) Potassium ions rush into the sarcoplasm B)
Chloride ions rush into the sarcoplasm C) Sodium-ion rush into sarcoplasm D) Calcium
ions rush out of the sarcoplasm ;C) Sodium-ion rush into sarcoplasm
27.​The total tension produced by whole skeletal muscles depends on the internal tension
produced by muscle fibers and what other factor? A) External temperature B) External
tension exerted by muscle fibers on elastic extracellular fibers C) Blood glucose levels D)
Hormonal balance ;B) External tension exerted by muscle fibers on elastic extracellular
fibers
28.​The process of smoothly increasing tension in a whole muscle by slowly increasing the
size or number of motor units stimulated is called: A) Tetanus B) Summation C)
Recruitment D) Fatigue ;C) Recruitment
29.​Maximum tension in a muscle is achieved when: A) Only a few motor units are stimulated
B) All motor units reach tetanus C) Muscle tone is minimized D) Relaxation is occurring
;B) All motor units reach tetanus
30.​The normal tension and firmness of a muscle at rest is referred to as: A) Muscle fatigue B)
Muscle spasm C) Muscle tone D) Muscle hypertrophy ;C) Muscle tone
Type 2: Multiple Correct Answers (Select all that apply)
1.​ Which of the following are characteristics of skeletal muscle? (Select all that apply) A)
Long cylindrical cells B) Many nuclei per cell C) Striated D) Voluntary E) Rapid
contractions ;A, B, C, D, E
2.​ The functions of skeletal muscles include: (Select all that apply) A) Maintain posture &
body position B) Support Soft Tissues C) Guard entrance / exits D) Maintain body
temperature E) Store nutrient reserves ;A, B, C, D, E
3.​ Which of the following statements are true regarding the sarcolemma? (Select all that
apply) A) It is the cell membrane of a muscle fiber. B) It surrounds the sarcoplasm. C) A
change in transmembrane potential begins contractions. D) It has properties similar to T
tubules. ;A, B, C, D
4.​ Myofilaments, responsible for muscle contraction, include: (Select all that apply) A) Thin
filaments made of actin B) Thick filaments made of myosin C) Intermediate filaments D)
Microtubules ;A, B
5.​ The contractile mechanism of muscle depends on which of the following proteins? (Select
 all that apply) A) Myosin-II B) Actin C) Tropomyosin D) Troponin E) Nebulin ;A, B, C, D
6.​ The subunits of Troponin include: (Select all that apply) A) Troponin I B) Troponin T C)
Troponin C D) Troponin M ;A, B, C
7.​ Which of the following are steps involved in skeletal muscle contraction? (Select all that
apply) A) Ca2+ ion is released from the SR. B) Ca2+ binds to troponin. C) Myosin
cross-bridges bind to actin. D) The myosin head pivots towards the center of the
sarcomere. E) The myosin head binds an ATP molecule and detaches from the actin. ;A,
B, C, D, E
8.​ Characteristics of cardiac muscle include: (Select all that apply) A) Striated B) Involuntary
C) Branching, generally uninucleate cells D) Rapid contractions ;A, B, C
9.​ Smooth muscle is characterized by: (Select all that apply) A) Fusiform cells B) One
nucleus per cell C) Non-striated D) Involuntary E) Slow, wave-like contractions ;A, B, C,
D, E
10.​What events occur during skeletal muscle relaxation? (Select all that apply) A) Ca2+
concentrations fall. B) Ca2+ detaches from troponin. C) Active sites are re-covered by
tropomyosin. D) Sarcomeres remain contracted. E) Relaxation is a passive process. ;A,
B, C, E
Type 3: True/False
1.​ Skeletal muscles constitute 10% of the body mass. A) True B) False ;B) False
2.​ Each muscle fiber is a single cell that is multinucleated. A) True B) False ;A) True
3.​ Transverse tubules (T tubules) allow the entire muscle fiber to contract simultaneously. A)
True B) False ;A) True
4.​ The H band is the densest, darkest area on a light micrograph where thick and thin
filaments overlap. A) True B) False ;B) False (This describes the Zone of overlap)
5.​ Myofibrils are lengthwise subdivisions within a muscle fiber. A) True B) False ;A) True
6.​ The sarcoplasmic reticulum helps transmit action potentials to myofibrils. A) True B) False
;A) True
7.​ The muscle twitch starts about 2 ms after the start of depolarization of the membrane. A)
True B) False ;A) True
8.​ Electromyography records the electrical activity of muscle on an oscilloscope. A) True B)
False ;A) True
9.​ Cardiac muscle contractions are typically slower than smooth muscle contractions. A)
True B) False ;B) False (Cardiac is medium speed, smooth is slow)
10.​Acetylcholine is quickly broken down by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). A) True
B) False ;A) True