Question

Compare the reaction times for voluntary vs. involuntary activation of the quadriceps muscle. what might account for the observed differences in reaction times? outline what has to occur in the body for each reaction to occur. refer to your drawing from step 24. information from the flow chart you created in activity 2.2.1 might also be helpful.

Answer 1

By comparing the time it takes to react a voluntary muscle and a involuntary one we see that the voluntary takes more time. This is because it takes time for the information to go to the brain, be processed and then have emitted the response of contracting the quadriceps muscle.
The involuntary contraction occurs without being processed by the brain but instead the spinal cord, and that's called a reflex.