Where does this come from, and can I check it?

A motor unit pairs a single motor neuron with every fibre it activates. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a human body fact?

Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

One nerve cell commands a bundle of muscle fibres

A motor unit pairs a single motor neuron with every fibre it activates When the neuron fires, all the fibres in its unit contract together. Units vary hugely in size, with a handful of fibres in the muscles that move the eye and over a thousand in the large leg muscles. Fine control comes from small units, while power comes from recruiting many large ones. It sits in Mondo's human body collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Science trivia

More facts like this

Each spinal nerve owns a strip of skinDermatomes are skin territories mapped to the single nerve root that serves them Nerve signals jump between gaps in myelinInsulation forces the impulse to leap from one node to the next in saltatory conduction The autonomic system has accelerator and brake branchesSympathetic nerves mobilise the body for action while parasympathetic nerves restore calm Nerve signals can travel up to 120 metres per secondMyelinated nerve fibres transmit electrical signals across the body in milliseconds Brain tissue itself cannot feel any painSurgeons can perform brain procedures on conscious patients without cerebral discomfort Spinal reflexes act before signals reach the conscious brainNeural pathways in the spinal cord trigger swift protective muscle reactions

Tags: muscles, nerves, control

One nerve cell commands a bundle of muscle fibres: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: A motor unit pairs a single motor neuron with every fibre it activates. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a human body fact?: Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.