Human Skeleton Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering anatomical terminology, classification, structure, development, and regions of the human skeleton.

Human Skeleton

The internal framework of the body consisting of 206 total bones (86 paired and 34 single) that supports soft tissues and gives shape to the body.

Axial Skeleton

The division of the skeleton consisting of 80 bones, including the skull, vertebral column, ribs, sternum, and hyoid bone.

Appendicular Skeleton

The division of the skeleton consisting of 126 bones, including the upper limbs, shoulder girdles, lower limbs, and pelvic girdle.

Red Bone Marrow

Tissue located inside some larger bones that produces blood cells.

Yellow Bone Marrow

Bone marrow consisting mainly of adipose cells and a few blood cells that serves as an important chemical energy reserve.

Compact Bone

The hard outer shell of bones consisting of a virtually solid mass of bony tissue arranged in concentric layers called Haversian systems.

Cancellous Bone

Spongy bone tissue located beneath compact bone, consisting of a meshwork of bony bars called trabeculae with interconnecting spaces containing bone marrow.

Long Bones

Bones that have a greater length than width, consisting of a shaft (diaphysis), two ends (epiphysis), a metaphysis in between, and a medullary cavity.

Short Bones

Bones that are roughly cube-shaped and have approximately equal length and width, such as wrist and ankle bones.

Flat Bones

Thin and flat bones, such as skull bones, the sternum, ribs, and scapulae.

Irregular Bones

Bones that have complex or complicated shapes, such as the vertebrae.

Sesamoid Bones

Bones that develop in certain tendons where there is considerable friction, tension, and physical stress, such as the patellae.

Pneumatic Bones

Bones containing air spaces located within the skull to decrease its weight and add resonance to the voice.

Intramembranous Osteogenesis

A form of bone development occurring in flat bones where a matrix is produced and calcified starting at primary ossification centers.

Endochondral Osteogenesis

A form of bone development where bone is preformed in the embryo as a hyaline cartilage model and subsequently replaced by bone.

Vertebral Column

The spine composed of 26 bones, including 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 fused sacral (sacrum), and 4 fused coccygeal (coccyx) vertebrae, separated by intervertebral discs.

Vertebral Foramen

The opening enclosed between the posterior surface of a vertebral body and the neural arch that contains the spinal cord and meninges.

Sacrum

A single triangular bone formed by 5 fused vertebrae that forms the posterior part of the bony pelvis between the right and left hip bones.

Sternum

An elongated flat bone located ventrally in the midline of the thorax, composed from top to bottom of the manubrium, body, and xiphoid process.

True Ribs

The upper seven pairs of ribs that articulate anteriorly with the sternum by their costal cartilages.

False Ribs

The 8th, 9th, and 10th pairs of ribs, each having its costal cartilage join the costal cartilage of the rib above it.

Floating Ribs

The 11th and 12th pairs of ribs that have free anterior ends.

Shoulder Girdle

The upper limb attachment structure composed of two clavicles anteriorly and two scapulae posteriorly.

Clavicle

A slender S-shaped bone that connects the upper arm to the trunk and holds the shoulder joint away from the body.

Scapula

A large, triangular, flat bone on the posterior rib cage containing the shallow glenoid cavity for articulation with the head of the humerus.

Humerus

The single long bone of the arm located between the shoulder and elbow joints.

Radius

The lateral long bone of the forearm located on the thumb side between the elbow and wrist.

Ulna

The medial long bone of the forearm that is longer than the radius.

Carpal Bones

Eight short bones arranged in proximal and distal rows that form the wrist.

Metacarpal Bones

Five long bones of the hand, each consisting of a head, shaft, and base.

Hip Bone

A large, irregular bone formed by the fusion of three parts: the ilium, ischium, and pubis at the acetabulum.

Femur

The largest and strongest bone in the human body, located in the thigh.

Tibia

The medial bone of the leg, composed of a shaft, upper end, and lower end.

Fibula

The lateral bone of the leg, composed of a shaft, head (upper end), and lateral malleolus (lower end).

Tarsus Bones

Seven bones that form the posterior part of the foot.

Metatarsus Bones

Five bones that form the anterior part of the foot.

Cranial Bones

Bones that form the rounded cranium, which completely surrounds and encloses the brain.

Facial Bones

Bones forming the face that protect entrances to the digestive and respiratory systems and provide attachment sites for facial muscles.

Mandible

The lower jaw bone, featuring a prominent chin projection called the mental protuberance.

Sutures

Immovable fibrous joints sealed with dense regular connective tissue that form boundaries between cranial bones.

Paranasal Sinuses

Mucous membrane-lined cavities inside skull bones that lessen skull weight, humidify and warm inhaled air, and add resonance to the voice.