Which muscle type is striated and primarily responsible for voluntary movements?

The muscle type that is striated and primarily responsible for voluntary movements is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and are primarily responsible for the movement of the skeleton, allowing for a wide range of voluntary actions such as walking, lifting, and running. The striated appearance of skeletal muscle fibers is due to the organized arrangement of actin and myosin filaments, which allows for efficient muscle contraction.

In contrast, cardiac muscle, while also striated, is found only in the heart and operates involuntarily, meaning it functions automatically without conscious control. Smooth muscle, which can be found in the walls of hollow organs such as the intestines and blood vessels, is non-striated and also functions involuntarily. Visceral muscle is another term often used to refer to smooth muscle, highlighting its location in internal organs.

Overall, skeletal muscle’s distinct structural characteristics and its role in facilitating voluntary movement make it the correct answer to this question.