The somatic nervous system controls which body structures?

• A. The body's skeletal muscles
• B. Glands and internal organs
• C. Smooth muscles of internal organs
• D. Cardiac muscles only

Answer: (A)

The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary control of skeletal muscles. It sends motor signals from the central nervous system directly to skeletal muscles via a single motor neuron, enabling conscious movement and reflexes tied to voluntary action.

Glands, internal organs, smooth muscle, and the heart are regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which operates largely without conscious input. This division controls involuntary functions like digestion, heart rate, and smooth muscle activity. So the structures controlled by the somatic system are the skeletal muscles, not glands or smooth/cardiac muscle.