Question

What happens to the latent period (time to peak contraction) with heavy loads?

a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Remains constant
d) Latent period is not affected by load

Answer 1

The latent period in muscle contractions increases with the weight of the load because more muscular force is needed to initiate contraction and overcome inertia.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the effect of heavy loads on the latent period in muscle contractions, the answer is a. It increases. This is due to a physiological response where the muscle requires more time to initiate contraction because additional force is needed to move the heavier load. This delay, known as the latent period, increases with the weight of the load since greater muscular force is necessary to overcome the inertia and to start the movement.