Skeletal System Essay

The skeletal system includes all of the bones and joints in the body. Each bone is a complex living organ that is made up of many cells,, protein fibers, and minerals. The skeleton provides support and protection for the soft tissues that make up the rest of the body. The skeletal system also provides attachment points for the rest of the body allowing movement.
The skull is composed of 22 bones that aid in the support and movement, and protection of the brain. The frontal bone forms the forehead and the superior part of the eye’s orbit supporting the eyebrows. The parietal bones form the superior and lateral walls of cranium. Temporal bones lie inferior to the parietal bones and meets with the parietal bones to form the squamosal sutures. The occipital bone forms the floor and the back of the wall of the skull. The occipital bone articulates with the first vertebra by means of the occipital condyles. The sphenoid bone forms part of the floor of the skull and spans the width of the skull, it looks somewhat butterfly-like in shape. The ethmoid bone lies anterior to the sphenoid bone. The bones of the skull are considered flat bones.
The vertebral column supports the head and encloses the spinal cord, which mean that it ranges from the base of the skull down to the pelvis. The vertebral column is composed of 26 individual bones, these bones are referred to as vertebrae. The spinal column is divided into five different areas containing groups of vertebrae: There are seven cervical vertebrae in the neck; twelve thoracic vertebrae in the upper back corresponding to each pair of ribs; five lumbar vertebrae in the lower back; five sacral vertebrae which are fused together to form one bone called the sacrum; four coccygeal vertebrae that are fused together to form the tail-bone. The vertebrae support the head and trunk of the body. The vertebral column is classified as