SCIENCE

human skeleton.

What really is the purpose of the skeleton? What would happen if the body had no skeleton? Interesting question, isn’t it? Discuss with your friend or sibling.

The human skeleton performs some important functions that are necessary for the survival of human beings. Let’s look at some of them:

1. STRENGTH, SUPPORT AND SHAPE: It gives strength, support and shape to the body. Without a hard and rigid skeletal system, the human body cannot stand upright, and it will become just a bag of soft tissues without any proper shape.

2. PROTECTION OF DELICATE ORGANS: In areas like the rib cage and skull, the skeleton protects inner soft but vital organs like heart and brain from external shocks. Any damage to these organs can prove fatal, therefore the protective function of the skeleton is very important.

3. LEVERAGE FOR MOVEMENTS: Bones of the human skeleton in all parts of the body provide attachment to the muscles. These muscles provide power for producing movements of the body parts. In these movements the parts of skeleton act like levers of different types thus producing movements, according to the needs of the human body.

4. PRODUCTION OF RED BLOOD CELLS: Bones like the sternum, and heads of tibia help to produce blood cells production. These are the sites where there is production of new blood cells.

How many more can you think of? Let us look more closely at the parts of the skeleton.

• Skull: The skull is that part of human skeleton that forms the bony framework of the head. Touch your skull. It consists of 22 different bones that are divided into two groups: bones of cranium and bones of face.

• Vertebral Column: It is a flexible column of vertebrae, connecting the trunk of human body to the skull and appendages. It is composed of 33 vertebrae which are divided into 5 regions: Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacral, and Coccygeal.

• Rib Cage: It is a bony cage enclosing vital human organs formed by the sternum and ribs. There are 12 pairs of ribs that are divided into three groups: True ribs, False ribs, and Floating ribs. (Have you ever heard those names?)