Anatomy of a Bone Match Quiz | Human Body

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A round prominence found at the end of a bone, often involved in a joint with another bone

Answer: Condyle

The word 'condyle' is derived from the Greek 'k�ndulos', meaning knuckle, an understandable name given the typical shape. Examples include the medial and lateral condyles of both the femur and the tibia where they meet at the knee joint. To add yet more bone anatomy, an epicondyle is a round prominence that is itself located on a condyle.

2. A membrane that covers the outer surface of almost all bones

Answer: Periosteum

The periosteum is further divided into two layers - the fibrous (outer) and osteogenic (inner). As the name suggests, the osteogenic layer is the source of progenitor cells that are capable of developing into osteoblasts. The only parts of the skeletal system not covered by a periosteum are typically the joints between long bones.

3. A type of bone tissue that is hard and compact, found close to the surface of the bone

Answer: Cortical bone

Cortical bone is also known as compact bone, and usually accounts for around 80% of the mass of a bone, despite occupying a much lower percentage of the volume. Cortical bone is comprised of a multitude of unit columns known as osteons. The boundary between the outer cortical bone and the inner cancellous bone is called the endosteum.

4. An outgrowth from the main body of the bone, often useful for muscular attachment

Answer: Process

While the word 'process' does not exclusively refer to outgrowths from bones, the vast majority of examples in human anatomy come from the skeletal system. Vertebrae host a number of different processes - the transverse and spinous attach to muscles, while the articular processes are used to link adjacent vertebrae.

5. A hole in a bone that allows the passage of another body part, such as the spinal cord through a vertebra

Answer: Foramen

Foramina can vary significantly in size, with the smallest allowing the passage of a single blood vessel, while the larger allow large muscles to pass through a bone. A notable foramen is the hole in the pelvis through which the sciatic nerve passes, known as the greater sciatic foramen.

6. The main body of a long bone, also known as the shaft

Answer: Diaphysis

While the main body of a long bone is called the diaphysis, the two ends of the bone are known as epiphyses, and the transition zone between the two is known as the metaphysis. The metaphysis is important as it is the location of the growth plate, the part of the bone that allows it to grow and extend as you mature.

7. A type of bone tissue that is spongy and porous, found in the centre of the bone

Answer: Cancellous bone

Cancellous, also known as trabecular or spongy, bone is far less dense than its cortical counterpart. The structure of cancellous bone alone would not be sufficient to allow the support we require from our skeleton, but it has a role to play in many other processes. For example, bone marrow is typically only present in a bone with cancellous tissue.

8. A hollow within the surface of a bone, as found on both sides of the ilium

Answer: Fossa

As well as being a carnivorous Madagascan mammal, a fossa is also a depression in the surface of a bone. The origins of the word are shared with the notable Roman road the Fosse Way, with both derived from the Latin word 'fossa' meaning 'ditch'. Perhaps the most notable fossae are the concave wings of the ilium, or hip bone.

9. A type of cell involved in the synthesis and formation of bones

Answer: Osteoblast

That's right, there are living cells in your bone tissue! Osteoblasts normally work together in groups called osteons, releasing a mineral called hydroxyapatite into the extracellular matrix. It is this hydroxyapatite that gives bone its hard and brittle structure.

10. A channel-like depression in a bone, along which a blood vessel may be aligned

Answer: Sulcus

The word sulcus is a direct usage of a Latin word that translates as 'furrow'. Sulcus is also used to describe the groove caused by the folds in brain tissue, and many other anatomical grooves such as those between the gums and the surfaces of teeth.

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Anatomy of a Bone Trivia Quiz

There is significantly more to a bone that meets the eye, with every lump and bump uniquely identified and named. Can you match these parts of a bone to their definitions?

Questions		Choices
1. A round prominence found at the end of a bone, often involved in a joint with another bone		Diaphysis
2. A membrane that covers the outer surface of almost all bones		Cancellous bone
3. A type of bone tissue that is hard and compact, found close to the surface of the bone		Cortical bone
4. An outgrowth from the main body of the bone, often useful for muscular attachment		Sulcus
5. A hole in a bone that allows the passage of another body part, such as the spinal cord through a vertebra		Periosteum
6. The main body of a long bone, also known as the shaft		Process
7. A type of bone tissue that is spongy and porous, found in the centre of the bone		Condyle
8. A hollow within the surface of a bone, as found on both sides of the ilium		Fossa
9. A type of cell involved in the synthesis and formation of bones		Osteoblast
10. A channel-like depression in a bone, along which a blood vessel may be aligned		Foramen