SKELETONS
By Chanelle Agius and Elisa Azzopardi
Human Skeleton
Many parts of the body - such as
the nerves, gut and blood vessels –
are soft and floppy. But the whole
body can stand up straight and
strong because it has an inner,
supporting framework of bones.
Most bones are linked at movable
joints and are pulled by powerful
muscles. Using bones, joints and
muscles, we can make a wide range
of movements, from writing our
names to lifting heavy weights, and
from leaping in the air to standing
on tiptoes.
All the bones together are
called the skeleton system,
or skeleton. Each bone is a
certain size and shape,
depending on it’s job. The
arm and leg bones are
long and tube shaped.
The shoulder and hip
bones are wide and flat to
hold and anchor muscles
Some bones are
protective. The dome
of the skull bone at the
top of the head
protects the brain. The
ribs and the chest are
like the bars of a cage,
guarding the soft lungs
and pumping heart.
The bowl-like shape of
the hip bone protects
the soft organs of the
lower body.
Bones are hard, but they are
not completely rigid, or stiff,
especially in children and
young people. This means
they can bend slightly to take
great strain rather than
cracking or snapping. Bones
are light yet tough – weight
for weight, they are stronger
than most metals and hightech plastics. And bones can
do what metals and plastics
cannot – if they are damaged,
they can mend themselves.
TOP FACTS
 There are 29 bones in the head
and face, 26 in the back and 25 in the
chest.
 There are 63 bones in the
shoulder, arms, hands and fingers
and 62 bones in the hips, legs, feet
and toes.
The longest bone
is the femur, or
thigh bone, which
forms one quarter
of the body’s
height. The
shortest bone is
the stirrup of the
ear.
The smallest bones are
the hammer, anvil and
stirrup inside the ear.
Each of these tiny bones
is about 0.5cm long.
They are known as the
auditory, ossicles and
they carry sound from
the eardrum to the
innermost part of the
ear, the cochlea.
Animal skeletons
The skull is coloured blue.
The leg bones are coloured green.
The spine is coloured red.
The frog skeleton has adapted to help it jump - it has long leg and foot
bones, and a short, strong spine.
• The skull is coloured blue.
The leg bones are coloured green.
The spine is coloured red.
• Birds' front legs (or 'arms') have been modified into
wings.
• The skull is coloured blue.
The leg bones are coloured green.
The spine is coloured red.
• Tigers have long flexible spines that allow them to run
quickly and pounce on their prey.
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e54m6XO
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