Week 1: Axial Skeleton

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on the axial skeleton lecture notes.

Axial Skeleton

The part of the skeleton that includes the skull, vertebral column, and rib cage.

Cranial Bones

The eight bones that form the protective case around the brain.

Suture

An immovable joint between the bones of the skull.

Fontanelle

Soft spots on a baby's skull where the bones have not yet fused.

Vertebral Column

The spine, composed of 33 vertebrae.

Intervertebral Disc

A structure made of connective tissue located between vertebrae; serves as a shock absorber.

Thoracic Vertebrae

The twelve vertebrae found in the middle of the back, each articulating with a rib.

Rib Cage

The bony structure that protects the thoracic cavity, consisting of the sternum and 12 pairs of ribs.

True Ribs

The first seven pairs of ribs that attach directly to the sternum.

False Ribs

Ribs 8-12 that do not attach directly to the sternum.

Floating Ribs

The last two pairs of ribs (11-12) that have no connection to the sternum.

Mandible

The lower jawbone; the only movable bone of the skull.

Foramen Magnum

The large opening at the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes.

Occipital Condyle

The rounded projections on the occipital bone that articulate with the first cervical vertebra.

Paranasal Sinuses

Air-filled cavities within the facial bones that help lighten the skull and are lined with mucous membranes.

Cervical Vertebrae

The seven vertebrae in the neck region; includes the atlas and axis.

Lordosis

An abnormal anterior curvature of the lumbar spine.

Kyphosis

An abnormal posterior curvature of the thoracic spine.

Scoliosis

An abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.