PhysioEx is a set of interactive physiology simulations that allow students to explore and understand complex physiological processes. Exercise 1 of PhysioEx focuses on skeletal muscle physiology, specifically the effect of stimuli on skeletal muscle contraction.
The first part of the exercise involves examining the effect of stimulus voltage on skeletal muscle contraction. Students are asked to stimulate a skeletal muscle at various voltage levels and observe the resulting muscle twitch. As the stimulus voltage is increased, the muscle twitch becomes stronger and more sustained. This is because an increase in stimulus voltage leads to an increase in the number of muscle fibers that are activated, resulting in a stronger contraction.
The second part of the exercise involves examining the effect of muscle fiber length on skeletal muscle contraction. Students are asked to stretch a skeletal muscle to various lengths and observe the resulting muscle twitch. As the muscle fiber length is increased, the muscle twitch becomes weaker. This is because a longer muscle fiber requires more force to produce the same amount of tension as a shorter muscle fiber.
The third part of the exercise involves examining the effect of stimulation frequency on skeletal muscle contraction. Students are asked to stimulate a skeletal muscle at various frequencies and observe the resulting muscle twitch. As the stimulation frequency is increased, the muscle twitch becomes stronger and more sustained. This is because an increase in stimulation frequency leads to an increase in the number of muscle fibers that are activated, resulting in a stronger contraction.
Overall, the purpose of Exercise 1 of PhysioEx is to explore the factors that affect skeletal muscle contraction and understand how these factors contribute to the strength and duration of muscle contractions. By completing this exercise, students can gain a deeper understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle function, which is important for understanding how the body moves and performs physical tasks.
