Functions of the Skeleton
Which function of the skeleton holds the body upright and gives it shape?
Support
What is the common name for the femur?
Thigh bone
What type of skeleton is built inside an animal's body?
Endoskeleton
What is the scientific term for a place in the body where two or more bones meet?
A joint
Do muscles pull on bones, push on bones, or can they do both?
Muscles can only pull.
Which hard bone structure in the skeleton protects the brain from injury?
The skull
What is the common name for the column of bones running down the middle of your back?
Backbone (or spine)
What type of hard outer skeleton covers the body of insects and crabs?
Exoskeleton
What type of joint opens and closes in only one direction, just like a room door?
Hinge joint
What word describes a muscle getting shorter and tighter to pull on a bone?
Contracting (or contract)
Which curved set of bones in your chest protects your heart and lungs?
The ribcage
What is the scientific name for the hip bones that connect your upper body to your legs?
Pelvis
Name two animals that have an endoskeleton inside their bodies.
Humans, dogs, cats, birds, fish, or frogs (any vertebrate).
What type of joint allows your arm to swing in full circles at the shoulder?
Ball-and-socket joint
What word describes what a muscle does when it lets go, gets longer, and rests?
Relaxing (or relax)
How do bones work together with muscles to create movement in the body?
Muscles attach to bones and pull on them to move different parts of the body.
What are the small, individual repeating bones that make up the spine called?
Vertebrae
Why must an animal with an exoskeleton shed (molt) its outer shell as it grows?
Because an exoskeleton is hard and cannot grow wider or longer with the animal's body.
Name two major joints in the human body that are hinge joints.
The elbow and the knee
Why do muscles have to work in pairs (antagonistic pairs) to move a joint back and forth?
Because a muscle can only pull to move a bone; it cannot push the bone back to its original position.
What main column of bones protects the delicate spinal cord running down your back?
The spine (or backbone / vertebrae)
What is the largest and longest bone in the entire human body?
The femur (thigh bone)
Name one animal that has an exoskeleton and one animal that has no skeleton or hard parts at all.
Exoskeleton: Beetle, crab, spider, or ant. No skeleton: Earthworm, jellyfish, or slug.
What would happen to your body's ability to move if your skeleton was made of one solid piece of bone with no joints?
Your body would be stiff/rigid and completely unable to bend, twist, or flex.
When you bend your arm at the elbow to show off your biceps, what is the biceps doing and what is the triceps doing?
The biceps contracts (pulls), and the triceps relaxes.