Three types of muscles are given as a, b and c. Identify the correct matching pair along with their location in human body:

Name of muscle/location

The correct option is:
(a) Skeletal - Triceps
(b) Smooth – Stomach
(c) Cardiac – Heart

By analyzing the structural features visible in the provided muscle diagrams, we can identify the three types of muscles as follows:

1. Muscle (a): Skeletal Muscle
The diagram for (a) depicts long, cylindrical, parallel, unbranched muscle fibers showing prominent horizontal bands or striations. These multinucleated, striated fibers are characteristic of skeletal (voluntary) muscles. Skeletal muscles are attached to the skeleton and are responsible for voluntary body movements. A prime location for skeletal muscle in the human body is the triceps (or biceps) of the upper arm.

2. Muscle (b): Smooth Muscle
The diagram for (b) displays spindle-shaped (fusiform) cells that are pointed at both ends, lack striations (non-striated), and contain a single central nucleus. These are characteristic of smooth (involuntary) muscles. Smooth muscles line the walls of internal visceral organs to control involuntary movements. A typical location for smooth muscle is the wall of the stomach or intestines.

3. Muscle (c): Cardiac Muscle
The diagram for (c) shows striated, cylindrical fibers that branch and connect with one another. These branched, uninucleate fibers are the defining structure of cardiac muscle. Cardiac muscle is involuntary and is located exclusively in the walls of the heart, where it pumps blood throughout the body.