In a contracted muscle, the Z lines of a sarcomere are ____.
A) closer together but not overlapping
B) further apart
C) the same distance apart as when not contracting
D) thicker
E) overlapping

Question

​In a contracted muscle, the Z lines of a sarcomere are ____.
A) ​closer together but not overlapping
B) ​further apart
C) ​the same distance apart as when not contracting
D) ​thicker
E) ​overlapping

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a contracted muscle, the sarcomere shortens, which brings the Z lines closer together. This is because the actin and myosin filaments slide past each other, shortening the overall length of the sarcomere without the filaments themselves changing length.

​In a Contracted Muscle, the Z Lines of a Sarcomere

In a Contracted Muscle, the Z Lines of a Sarcomere