Lab 12: Skeletal System Vertebral Column and Thoracic Cage

Question 1

How many vertebrae are in the cervical region and where is it located?

Answer 1

7 vertebrae and the first region

Question 2

How many vertebrae in the thoracic region and where is it located?

Answer 2

12 vertebrae and in the second region

Question 3

How many vertebrae in the lumbar region and where is it located

Answer 3

5 vertebrae and in the third region

Question 4

How many fused vertebrae in the sacral region and where is it located

Answer 4

5 fused vertebrae and in the fourth region

Question 5

How many fused vertebrae in the coccygeal region and where is it located

Answer 5

4 fused vertebrae and in the last/fifth region

Question 6

Where are intervertebral discs found and what are their function

Answer 6

-in between consecutive vertebra
-provide shock absorption

Question 7

What are intervertebral discs composed of

Answer 7

-outer ring (anulus fibrosis): tough fibrocartilage
-inner material: gel like nucleus pulposus

Question 8

What occurs in a ruptured disc

Answer 8

-cracking of the anulus fibrosis allows the gel to exude and put pressure on spinal nerves

Question 9

what is the vertebral column function

Answer 9

provides attachment sites for muscles

Question 10

what is the vertebral canal

Answer 10

formed by vertebral foramina of articulated vertebrae, houses the spinal cord which allows the column to protect delicate neural tissue

Question 11

what is intervertebral foramen

Answer 11

two adjacent, articulated vertebrae form it and it is what the spinal nerves travel through

Question 12

what are considered primary curvatures

Answer 12

thoracic and sacral because they retain the original c shaped curvature

Question 13

what type of curvatures develop during infancy

Answer 13

secondary curvatures develop in response to stresses related to holding up our head (cervical) and standing upright (lumbar)

Question 14

what does kyphosis look like

Answer 14

overly bent outward upper back to where head leans forward

Question 15

what does lordosis look like

Answer 15

overly bent inward in the lower back to where lower half sticks outward

Question 16

what does scoliosis look like

Answer 16

curved back to either side to where one shoulder is higher than the other

Question 17

what is the body of the vertebrae

Answer 17

anterior, rounded; weight bearing structure in most vertebrae

Question 18

what is the pedicle of a vertebrae

Answer 18

part of the vertebral arch; the foot piece which attaches to both sides of the body

Question 19

what is the transverse process

Answer 19

two lateral projections that protrude from each pedicle

Question 20

spinous process

Answer 20

a single posterior projection

Question 21

lamina

Answer 21

part of vertebral arch; a plate that connects the transverse process to the spinous process

Question 22

vertebral foramen

Answer 22

a large opening bordered by the body and vertebral arch that transmits the spinal cord

Question 23

articular processes

Answer 23

two superior and inferior processes that articulate with adjacent vertebrae; the superior process faces toward the spinous process and the inferior articular process faces in the opposite direction

Question 24

what is the first vertebral in the cervical region called; what makes it differ from other vertebrae

Answer 24

-atlas after the greek god who carried the world on his shoulders
-lacks a body and includes two large superior articular facets which articulate with occipital condyles of the skull to permit the up and down motion fo the head
-yes

Question 25

what is the second cervical vertebra called; what makes it differ from other vertebrae

Answer 25

-axis (C2) -includes large vertical process known as dens or the odontoid process which serves as a pivot for rotation of the atlas and skull in a medial and lateral direction -no

Question 26

what makes cervical vertebrae differ from other regions

Answer 26

-smaller and lighter than thoracic and lumbar -include bifurcated (notched) spinous process which looks like the face of an elephant in posterior view -all transverse processes have transverse foramina wich transmit blood vessels delivering blood to the brain

Question 27

what is the seventh vertebrae of the cervical region called and why does it differ from other cervical vertebrae

Answer 27

-vertebra prominens -larger and not bifurcated which can be palpated quite easily

Question 28

what are the 12 thoracic vertebrae referred to as and how can they be distinguished

Answer 28

-t1 through t12 -larger body than those of cervical vertebrae -long, narrow spinous process that slants inferiorly; looks like face of giraffe from posterior -costal facets articulate with ribs and located on the transverse process and the superior and inferior costal facets located on the superior and inferior aspects of the vertebral body

Question 29

what are the lumbar vertebrae referred to as and how do they differ from other vertebrae

Answer 29

-L1 through L5 -presence of a large body to support body weight and short, thick, hatchet-shaped spinous process extending posteriorly (looks like moose)

Question 30

what is the sacrum

Answer 30

a triangular bone in the adult resulting from the fusion of five sacral vertebrae -articulates superiorly with L5 at the superior articular processes and inferiorly withe the coccyx

Question 31

what is the sacral foramina

Answer 31

openings for sacral nerves and blood vessels throughout all vertebrae in the sacrum

Question 32

what is the median sacral crest

Answer 32

-on the posterior side and is a remnant of the spinous process of the fused vertebrae

Question 33

what is the sacral canal

Answer 33

superior opening extending into the sacrum and represents the end of the vertebral canal

Question 34

what is the coccyx/tailbone

Answer 34

formed by the fusion of two or more coccygeal vertebrae and is attached inferiorly to the sacrum by ligaments

Question 35

what is the thoracic cage

Answer 35

part of axial skeleton that surrounds the thoracic cavity

Question 36

what is. the thoracic cage composed of

Answer 36

thoracic vertebrae, ribs with their costal cartilages, and sternum

Question 37

what are costal cartilages

Answer 37

made of hyaline cartilage which provides some flexibility and attach ribs to the sternum

Question 38

what is the thoracic cage function

Answer 38

protect the heart, lungs, and other organs within the thoracic cavity

Question 39

what is the sternum

Answer 39

relatively wide and is classified as a flat bone of the anterior thorax

Question 40

what is the sternum composed of

Answer 40

three bones fused together during development -manubrium, body of the sternum, xiphoid process

Question 41

what is the manubrium

Answer 41

most superior bone of the sternum and is fused to the body of the sternum at the sternal angle

Question 42

what is the jugular notch

Answer 42

located on the superior part of the manubrium and between two clavicles join to the manubrium

Question 43

how many pairs of ribs are there

Answer 43

12

Question 44

what are the first seven pair of ribs called

Answer 44

true ribs because their costal cartilages attach directly to the sternum

Question 45

what are the last five rib pairs called

Answer 45

false ribs because they do not attach directly to the sternum

Question 46

what are ribs 11 and 12 called

Answer 46

floating ribs since they lack any anterior attachment

Question 47

what is the space between adjacent ribs called

Answer 47

intercostal space

Question 48

what type of bone is rib

Answer 48

elongated, curved, flat bone

Question 49

what is the sternal end of a rib

Answer 49

articulates with costal cartilage located on the anterior thoracic cage

Question 50

what is the head of each rib

Answer 50

articulates with costal facets of thoracic vertebrae

Question 51

what is the tubercle of each rib

Answer 51

-posterior but instead articulates with the transverse process of the thoracic vertebrae