The Human Riddle Trivia Quiz

Answer: hyoid

The hyoid bone is a bone that has a horseshoe shape. It lies between the chin and the thyroid cartilage. It is supported by muscles and assists in the movement of the tongue as well as in swallowing. This bone is an irregular bone which has a body and two pairs of horns. The hyoid allows for a wider range of the tongue and variation in the production of sounds.

This bone is not easily fractured in adults and so a fractured hyoid would indicate that the victim was either throttled or strangled, i.e. murdered.

Answer: cerebrum

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It consists of two hemispheres of nerve tissue on each side of the head. All conscious activities are controlled by the cerebrum. Memory, perception, problem solving and thinking take place in man's highly developed cerebrum. The frontal lobe is considered to be the most important lobe in terms of personality and intelligence.

It has been discovered by scientists that the two halves of the cerebrum have specializations. Usually, the right hemisphere relates to the left side of the body while the left hemisphere relates to the right side of the body. Also, the right hemisphere seems to determine one's ability to appreciate the aesthetics and while the left hemisphere takes responsibility for math, logic and language. Interestingly, in cases where there is brain damage to the left hemisphere in early childhood the right hemisphere will take over the speech function.

Answer: malleus

As sound waves entering the ear stikes the tympanic membrane (eardrum) it vibrates and the vibration is conducted to the malleus (hammer) which is a tiny hammer-shaped bone in the middle ear. The malleus is connected to the incus (anvil) by a joint. As the malleus vibrates it strikes against the incus which in turn passes the vibration to the stapes or stirrup.

This causes vibration in the inner cavity and nerve impulses are set up that go to the part of the cerebrum that deals with the sense of hearing and are interpreted as sound.

Answer: teeth

The tooth is a very important part of the body. Before food can be digested or swallowed it must be broken into small pieces. When we chew, our teeth cut and grind food into small pieces which are moistened by saliva, The tongue then forms these pieces into lumps which are easily swallowed. The part of the tooth above the gum is called the crown and below the crown covered by gum is the neck.

The root lies in the socket of the jawbone. The tooth is covered on the outside by enamel which is the hardest material in the body.

The dentine forms the main part of the tooth. It is situated inside the enamel and is harder than bone. A cavity in the center of the tooth holds pulp which contains blood vessels and nerves.

Answer: spleen

The main function of the spleen is to filter blood. Although it is possible to live without the spleen, it plays some very important roles. Old erythrocytes (red blood cells) are removed by the spleen. Not only does it recycle iron but it contains a store of blood which is useful in cases of hemorrhagic shock.

The removal of the spleen causes vulnerability to certain infections as it is the center of the mononuclear phagocyte system.

Answer: the uterus

The uterus is also known as the womb. It is the main female reproductive sex organ. The pear-shaped uterus is located in the pelvic cavity between the bladder and the rectum and is connected to the vagina by the cervix. The body of the uterus is open and hollow.

It is in this area that the fertlized egg implants itself and is developed during pregnancy. The amniotic fluid in the uterus surrounds the unborn fetus and protects it, as well as aids in its development until birth. The fruit of the womb is a definitely a baby and not a pear.

Answer: kidney

The kidneys assist in the process of eliminating waste products from the body. They are located at the lower part of the back above the hips. There are millions of tiny coiled tubes in the kidneys through which blood flows and liquid waste products in the blood are filtered out. After being filtered out they are stored in the bladder which empties it through the process of urination.

The kidney bean is a variety of the common bean. The shape and colour of this bean are similar to that of the kidney, hence, its name.

Answer: the trachea

The trachea, or the windpipe, is a tube that joins the pharynx and the larynx to the lungs. It is a very important part of the body's airway and air flows to and from the lungs so that respiration can take place. It is interesting to note that the trachea helps in producing coughs, making them more forceful and productive.

Answer: platelets

Platelets are particles in the blood that are responsible for blood clotting. If the blood did not clot when you get a cut even a slight wound would bleed profusely. Blood that flows from a wound contains platelets. When air comes into contact with these platelets the oxygen causes them to break down and release a substance that combines with other substances in the plasma to form fibrin. Fibrin is the active agent in blood clotting.

Answer: blind spot

The blind spot is an area on the retina that does not have any receptors that are sensitive to light. An individual is unable to see any image which falls on this region of the retina. The optic nerve leaves the eye in this region as it goes to the brain.