Skeletal System Study Guide

1. Femur: Largest bone in the body

Carpals: bones found in the wrist
Phalanges: are found in both the fingers and toes
Tarsals: bones found in the ankle
*There are approximately 206 bones found in the human body
2. 5 main functions of the skeletal system:
1. Provide shape and support
2. Protects organs- skull protects brain, rib cage protects heart and lungs, pelvis
protects bladder and reproductive system
3. Movement- Muscles attach to bones
4. Store minerals- calcium and phosphorus
5. Make red blood cells
3. Structure of bones
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compact bone- very strong, heavy, solid bone

spongy bone- strong, lightweight, has spaces in it
red bone marrow- fills spaces of spongy bone, makes blood cells
yellow bone marrow- stores fat that serves as an energy reserve
outer membrane

4. Cartilage- a tissue that connects bones to joints; it covers the ends of bones and keeps the
bones from rubbing together (flexible), protects ends of bones.
5. 4 types of movable joints
o hinge joint- allows forward and backward motion (knees and elbows)
o ball and socket joint- allows greatest range of motion; allows back and forth
and around motion (shoulders and hips)
o pivot joint- allows one bone to rotate around another (neck)
o gliding joint- allows one bone to slide over the other (wrist and ankle)
6. Immovable joints- connects bones in a way that allows little or no movement (bones in the
skull/ cranium are held together by immovable joints)
7. Ligaments- strong connective tissue that holds together bones in movable joints.
8. Diet and exercise are important to keep bones healthy. Loss of minerals in bones can lead
to osteoporosis, in which bones become weak and break easily. Having a diet rich in
calcium can help prevent osteoporosis.