Body Movements

206

Step 1: A newborn baby has about 305 bones in their body. Step 2: As a person grows older, some of these bones slowly fuse (join together) with other nearby bones. Step 3: By the time a person becomes an adult, the number of bones reduces to 206. Step 4: This is an important fact — the human body actually has fewer bones in adulthood than at birth because of bone fusion. Step 5: So the correct answer is 206 bones in an adult human skeleton.

Skeleton

Step 1: Just like a building needs a framework (iron structure) to give it shape and support, our body also needs a framework. Step 2: This framework in our body is made up of all the bones joined together. Step 3: This complete framework of bones is called the skeleton. Step 4: The skeleton gives our body its shape, supports our weight, allows movement, and protects our internal organs. Step 5: Muscles are soft tissues that move bones; cartilage is flexible material found at joints; the rib cage is just one part of the skeleton.

Rib cage

Step 1: Our body has many delicate and important organs like the heart and lungs that need protection. Step 2: The ribs are curved bones that form a box-like structure around the chest area. Step 3: There are 12 pairs of ribs (12 on each side), and they join the backbone at the back and the breastbone at the front. Step 4: This curved, box-like structure formed by the ribs is called the rib cage, and it protects the heart and lungs inside it. Step 5: The skull protects the brain; pelvic bones support the lower abdomen; the backbone supports the body but does not form a cage around organs.

Vertebrae

Step 1: The backbone (also called the spine) runs from the neck down to the lower back. Step 2: If the backbone were one single long bone, we would not be able to bend, twist, or flex our back at all. Step 3: Instead, the backbone is made up of 33 small bones stacked on top of each other. Step 4: Each of these small bones is called a vertebra (plural: vertebrae). Because there are many small bones, we can bend and twist our back. Step 5: Carpals are small bones in the wrist; cartilage is a flexible material at joints; ribs are the curved chest bones — none of these make up the backbone.