Which statement about skeletal muscle is true?

• A. It is not striated
• B. It is striated
• C. It is a type of connective tissue
• D. It is only found in the heart

Answer: (B)

Skeletal muscle is a striated, voluntary muscle tissue whose fibers show a banded appearance because of the highly organized sarcomeres that chain actin and myosin along the fiber. This organized structure underlies its ability to contract in a controlled, deliberate way when the somatic nervous system stimulates it, typically to move bones and joints. Saying it is not striated would be incorrect because the bands you see reflect that sarcomere arrangement. It is not connective tissue, which serves as support or storage rather than contraction. It is not found only in the heart; cardiac muscle is a separate, non-skeletal muscle type that forms the heart walls.