science

Transverse muscle of tongue

Transverse muscle of tongue is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Transverse muscle of tongue rather than just read about it. In short: The transverse muscle of tongue (transversus linguae) is an intrinsic muscle of the tongue. It consists of fibers which arise from the median fibrous septum.

Key takeaways

Transverse muscle of tongue belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Transverse muscle of tongue to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Transverse muscle of tongue from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The transverse muscle of tongue (transversus linguae) is an intrinsic muscle of the tongue. It consists of fibers which arise from the median fibrous septum. It passes laterally to insert into the submucous fibrous tissue at the sides of the tongue. It is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII). Its contraction elongates and narrows the tongue.

Structure The transverse muscle of the tongue is an intrinsic muscle of the tongue. It consists of fibers which arise from the median fibrous septum. It passes laterally to insert into the submucous fibrous tissue at the sides of the tongue.

Innervation The transverse lingual muscle is innervated by the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII).

Function Contraction of the transverse muscle of the tongue elongates and narrows the tongue.

References This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1130 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Transverse muscle of tongue

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Transverse muscle of tongue claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Transverse muscle of tongue before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Transverse muscle of tongue ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Transverse muscle of tongue

In research: Transverse muscle of tongue appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Transverse muscle of tongue in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Transverse muscle of tongue is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Muscle stubs, Muscles of the head and neck, Tongue, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Transverse muscle of tongue outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Transverse muscle of tongue in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Transverse muscle of tongue means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Transverse muscle of tongue out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Transverse muscle of tongue in simple terms?

The transverse muscle of tongue (transversus linguae) is an intrinsic muscle of the tongue. It consists of fibers which arise from the median fibrous septum.

Why does Transverse muscle of tongue matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Transverse muscle of tongue?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Transverse muscle of tongue.