300361 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Appendicular Skeleton, Axial Skeleton, Skeleton

• School: UWS
• Department: University of Western Sydney
• Course: 300361
• Professor: anonymous

Document Summary

The human skeletal system consists of all of the bones, cartilage tendons, and ligaments in the body. Altogether, the skeleton makes up about 20 percent of a person"s body weight. Children"s skeletons actually contain more bones because some of them, including those of the skull, fuse together as they grow up. There are also some differences in the male and female skeleton. The male skeleton is usually longer and has a high bone mass. The female skeleton, on the other hand, has a broader pelvis to accommodate for pregnancy and child birth. Regardless of age or sex, the skeletal system can be broken down into two parts, known as the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The adult axial skeleton consists of 80 bones. It"s made up of the bones that form the vertical axis of the body, such as the bones of the head, neck, chest, and spine. These bones can be further classified by location: cranial bones.