Bones Flashcards
Appendicular skeleton
The movable limbs and the supporting structures.
Axial skeleton
Comprised mainly of the vertebral column, much of the skull, and the rib cage.
Long bones
Found in the arms and legs. The femur is the best example of a long bone.
Short bones
Most common in the wrists, such as the carpal bones, and ankles.
Flat bones
Are flat and thin and, as in the case of the parietal bone from the roof of the skull, often protects vital organs of the body from injury.
Irregular bones
Include such odd – looking bones as the sphenoid bone or vertebrae.
Sesamoid bones
Unusual bones in that they are small, flat bones wrapped within tendons that move over bony surfaces, example the patella.
Articulating cartilage
Is located on both ends of the long bones and allows smooth movement within joints while protecting the ends of bones.
Periosteum
The name given to the outer connective tissue that covers the entire length of the bone.
Medullary cavity
Found inside the shaft of the bone and is filled with red and yellow bone marrow.
Compact bone
The more dense part of the bone, and it is responsible for the bones structural integrity
Diaphysis
The thickest part of the bone and consider the shaft.
Cancellous spongy bone
Is filled with marrow in it’s matrix or small cavity – like spaces.
Epiphysis
Located at the very end of long bones. The outer surface of the epiphysis is made up of compact bone, and the part that articulates with another bone is covered with cartilage.
Cortex
The exterior layer of bones, it is dense and smooth and of varying thicknesses, depending on the type of bone.
