The somatic nervous system governs the body's skeletal muscles.

• A. Autonomic organs
• B. Heart rate
• C. Digestive system
• D. Skeletal muscles

Answer: (D)

The somatic nervous system handles voluntary control of skeletal muscles, sending motor commands from the brain and spinal cord to those muscles to produce deliberate movements. It activates skeletal muscle fibers at the neuromuscular junction, using acetylcholine to cause contraction. Because of this, the statement about governing skeletal muscles is the correct fit for the somatic system.

Elements like autonomic organs, heart rate, and the digestive system are regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions of smooth muscles, cardiac muscle, and glands. That’s why those options don’t align with the somatic division.