New Jersey State Board Esthetics Practice Exam

Which type of muscle contractions can be voluntarily controlled?

1. Smooth muscles

2. Cardiac muscles

3. Striated (skeletal) muscles

4. Involuntary muscles

The correct answer is: Striated (skeletal) muscles

Striated (skeletal) muscles are the type of muscle contractions that can be voluntarily controlled. These muscles are attached to the skeleton and are responsible for facilitating movement by contracting and relaxing in response to conscious signals from the nervous system. This means that when you choose to move a part of your body, such as lifting your arm or walking, it is the striated muscles that are activated to perform these voluntary actions. In contrast, smooth muscles are found in various internal organs and are not under voluntary control, which means they operate automatically without conscious effort. Cardiac muscles, which are specific to the heart, are also involuntary as they function automatically to pump blood throughout the body. Lastly, the term "involuntary muscles" generally refers to muscles that cannot be consciously controlled, such as smooth and cardiac muscles. Therefore, striated (skeletal) muscles are uniquely distinguished by their ability to be controlled at will.