Skeletal muscle is best described as which of the following?

• A. Involuntary smooth muscle in internal organs
• B. Voluntary striated muscle attached to bones
• C. Involuntary muscle tissue of the heart
• D. Striated muscle that moves bones

Answer: (B)

Skeletal muscle is the voluntary, striated muscle that attaches to bones and enables movement of the skeleton. It’s under conscious control through the somatic nervous system, and the fibers show striations due to their organized sarcomeres. This distinguishes it from smooth muscle, which is involuntary and non-striated and found in internal organs, and from cardiac muscle, which is also involuntary but located in the heart and also striated. The most precise description emphasizes both voluntary control and attachment to bones, which is what skeletal muscle does to move the skeleton.