Question

Identify and write the names of the bones and joints present in this structure.

Answer 1

The heart and lungs are protected by the thorax, which is comprised of sternum (breastbone), the ribs and the thoracic vertebrae. The sternum (or breastbone) is a flat bone located at the anterior aspect of the thorax. It lies in the mid-line of the chest and has a ‘T’ shape. There are 12 pairs of ribs. Each pair is attached to one of the thoracic vertebra. The first seven pairs are called true ribs. Each of the true ribs is attached to the sternum by a piece of costal cartilage. The next five pairs, known as false ribs, do no attach directly to the sternum and lie inferior to the true ribs. The first three pairs attach indirectly to the sternum via a band of costal cartilage that fuses into the costal cartilage of the last true rib. Below these two pairs lie the last two pairs of false ribs know as floating ribs.