When is the superior rectus muscle engaged?

The superior rectus muscle is a crucial muscle that plays a significant role in controlling eye movements, specifically in elevation. When the eye looks up, the superior rectus contracts, pulling the eye upwards and slightly inward. This muscle is one of the extraocular muscles involved in ocular motion, and its primary function is to assist in elevating the eye, which is why the correct answer is associated with upward gaze.

The other options focus on movements that do not engage the superior rectus muscle. Turning the eye downward would primarily involve the inferior rectus muscle, while inward eye movement engages the medial rectus muscle. Lateral movements, particularly looking to the side, are powered by the lateral rectus muscle.