🔬 Science & TechnologyUPSC 2013Space & Space Technology

Consider the following minerals:1. Calcium2. Iron3. Sodium Which of the minerals given above is/are required by the human body for the contraction of muscles?

a1 only
b2 and 3 only
c1 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3
✓ Correct answer: d) 1, 2 and 3
ExplanationMuscle contraction is a complex physiological process regulated by nerve impulses and the interaction of muscle proteins actin and myosin.Key minerals involved in muscle contraction include: Calcium (Ca), Sodium (Na) , Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg).Option 1 is correct: Calcium ions are essential for muscle contraction.They bind to regulatory proteins within muscle fibers, facilitating the interaction between actin and myosin, the proteins responsible for muscle contraction.Without adequate calcium, muscles cannot contract properly.Option 2 is correct: Iron helps to support continued function- ing of the muscle by supporting energy production in your mus- cle cells, so that muscle fibres always have the energy they need to contract properly.Also supports healthy circulation so that muscles can receive additional oxygen from the bloodstream and helps muscles store oxygen to power muscle contractions.Option 3 is correct: Sodium is crucial for initiating and transmitting nerve impulses that lead to muscle contrac- tion.It helps generate action potentials in nerve cells, which the

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