As you are taking a test, you inadvertently drop your pencil, reach down, pick it up, and put it back on the desk. This voluntary action involved motor signals that were communicated out to your muscles via the _____ nervous system.
A)autonomic
B)sympathetic
C)parasympathetic
D)somatic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles, such as picking up a pencil, and is responsible for relaying motor signals from the central nervous system to the muscles. The autonomic nervous system, on the other hand, controls involuntary functions, such as heart rate and digestion, while the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system work together to maintain homeostasis in the body. However, neither the autonomic nor sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system are involved in voluntary movements.

As You Are Taking a Test, You Inadvertently Drop Your