Muscles, Muscles Everywhere
Students learn about the types of muscles in the human bodyCopyright U.S. National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, Training Website, http://training.seer.cancer.gov/ module_anatomy/ unit1_1_body_structure.html
This activity helps students learn about the three different types of muscles and how outer space affects astronauts' muscles. They will discover how important it is for astronauts to get adequate exercise both on Earth and in outer space. Also, through the design of their own microgravity exercise machine, students learn about the exercise machines that engineers design specifically for astronaut use.
Engineers need to understand how the human body works in order to help astronauts stay healthy in outer space. The microgravity of outer space leads to muscle atrophy, so scientists and engineers at NASA work to design special exercise machines to help the astronauts maintain muscle strength.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain the difference between skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle.
- Explain the difference between involuntary and voluntary muscles.
- Describe what happens to astronauts' muscles in outer space.
- Relate that engineers help astronauts stay healthy in outer space by designing special exercise machines.