The leg muscles of a sprinter would differ from a marathon runner in that ________.
A) per gram, the sprinter's muscles would have more mitochondria than the marathon runner's muscles
B) per gram, the marathon runner's muscles would contain more myoglobin than the sprinter's muscles
C) the marathon runner's muscles would have a greater rate of contraction than the sprinter's muscles
D) per gram, the sprinter's muscles would use more oxygen than the marathon runner's muscles

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Marathon runners rely heavily on aerobic metabolism, which requires a steady supply of oxygen. Myoglobin is a protein that stores oxygen in muscle cells, so having more myoglobin in their muscles allows them to sustain prolonged activity. Sprinters, on the other hand, rely more on anaerobic metabolism and explosive power, which does not require as much stored oxygen, therefore they have less myoglobin in their muscles.

The Leg Muscles of a Sprinter Would Differ from a Marathon