Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones Trivia Quiz

Answer: Phalanges and metatarsals

The phalanges are the bones that form the toes. The hallux (big toe) has only two phalanx bones, the others have three. Each set of phalanges attaches to one of the five long metatarsal bones that form the bulk of the foot. Their other end articulates with one of the bones called the tarsals, which form the heel and ankle. The carpals and metacarpals are found in the hands and wrist.

Answer: Talus

As is the case for many tetrapods (animals with four limbs), the metatarsal bones connect to a group of seven bones called the tarsus. The talus, at the top and back of the human tarsus, connects to the leg bones, and forms the lower articulation for the ankle.

The calcaneus, under it, is also called the heel bone. These two bones are the largest tarsals, and are involved in the bulk of weight-bearing. Between the two hind bones and the metatarsals are five midbones, the cuboid (so called because it is rather cubic in shape), the navicular (named for the fact that its shape resembles a boat) and three cuneiforms (wedge-shaped bones).

The metatarsals technically are attached to the cuneiform and cuboid bones, so not directly to the 'ankle bone' as stated in the song.

Answer: Both the tibia and the fibula

The ankle is a term which, in everyday usage, often refers to a region with three separate joints: the talocrucal joint (commonly called the ankle), the subtalar joint (where the talus and the calcaneus meet) and the inferior tibiofibular joint (where the tibia and the fibula are joined).

The talocrural joint is the one that connects the talus with the tibia and fibula. The tibia, which is thicker and stronger than the fibula, is attached to the talus so that it bears more of the body's weight than is carried by the smaller fibula.

The tibia is often called the shin bone.

Answer: Patella

The patella, also called the kneecap, is the largest sesamoid bone (one which is embedded in a tendon) in the human body. The others are found in the hands and feet, and are much smaller and less noticeable than the patella. The patella offers protection from blows to the knee joint.

The meniscus is one of two disks that keep the ends of the bones from rubbing against each other. The cruciate ligaments (often injured by athletes, especially football players) help to keep the bones in proper alignment at the joint. The lateral condyle is the rounded swelling on the outer end of either of the long bones on either side of the knee joint; the bump on the inner side is called the medial condyle.

Answer: Femur

Look at your leg, and check for yourself - the length of your thigh is about one-quarter of your height. The femur is the longest and heaviest bone in the human body. The condyles at the lower end of the femur articulate with the knee. The long portion that makes up most of the length of the femur is called the shaft. At the upper end the bone veers off at an angle to form the head of the femur, the spherical region involved in the femur's connection to the torso.

The radius, ulna and humerus are all bones found in the arm, not the leg.

Answer: Ilium

The iliac crest is the curved edge of the ilium that projects forward at the front of the body. The ilium is the largest of the three bones that form the hip, the ischium is located below it, and the pubis is in front of the ischium. At birth, these three bones are joined by cartilage, which ossifies during growth.

By the age of 25, most people will have a single bone. The acetabulum is the concave region formed by these bones into which the head of femur articulates. The technical name for the hip joint is the acetabulofemoral joint.

Answer: Vertebrae

The vertebrae are short hollow cylinders with spiny projections that give the spine its common name. The spinal cord runs through the hollow portion of the vertebrae, which protect it while allowing for flexible movement because they are connected to each other by sliding joints. An adult usually has 24 true, or moving, vertebrae, as well as five fused vertebrae that form the sacrum, the portion of the spine that is attached to the pelvis, and another four fused vertebrae that form the coccyx, or tailbone.

Answer: Scapula

The humerus is the bone of the upper arm which is joined to the torso at the shoulder. There it attaches to the scapula, whose large flat wing is called the shoulder blade. The clavicle, or collar bone, connects the scapula to the sternum (breastbone) in front of the body.

The scapula is named for its shape, thought to resemble a shovel; the clavicle gets its name from the way it pivots along its axis, similar to the way a key rotates in a lock.

Answer: Cervical spine

The vertebrae that make up the spine are traditionally numbered from the top down. The top seven, near the neck, are called the cervical (neck) vertebrae; the next twelve vertebrae, to which the ribs are attached, are called the thoracic (chest) vertebrae; the bottom five are the lumbar (lower back) vertebrae.

The cervical vertebrae have an extra hole in them, as compared to other vertebrae, through which the vertebral arteries and veins pass. These arteries provide blood to the brain stem, and offer a backup emergency blood supply to the entire brain if the carotids (on the front of the neck) are impaired.

Answer: Occipital bone

The atlas is the top vertebra in the spinal column, and is fused to the axis below it. These two bones form the lower part of the atlanto-occipital joint, which attaches the skull to the spine. The occipital bone is the flat curved bone at the base of the back of the cranium which forms the upper half of that joint.

The parietal bones are above the occiput on the back part of the skull, and the temporal bones are further forward, above the ears.