In skeletal muscle anatomy, a muscle is most commonly attached to bone by which structure?

• A. Tendon
• B. Ligament
• C. Articular cartilage
• D. Synovial membrane

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the role of each structure listed in the options. A tendon connects muscle to bone, a ligament connects bone to bone, articular cartilage covers the ends of bones in joints, and the synovial membrane lines joint cavities.
2. Step 2: Recall that skeletal muscles generate force by contracting and pulling on bones to produce movement, so the connection between muscle and bone must be strong and able to transmit this force.
3. Step 3: Identify that tendons are composed of dense connective tissue designed to withstand tension and transmit the force generated by muscle contraction to the bone.
4. Step 4: Recognize that ligaments, while also connective tissue, serve to stabilize joints by connecting bones to other bones, not muscles to bones.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the structure most commonly attaching skeletal muscle to bone is the tendon, as it fulfills the functional requirement of force transmission from muscle to bone.