Human Bones Flashcards: Major Bones of the Skeleton
37 cards · free to study, print and copy
Human Bones Flashcards: Major Bones of the Skeleton
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About this deck
This deck covers the major bones of the adult human skeleton, working roughly from head to toe: skull, spine, chest, arms, hands, pelvis, legs and feet. The front names the bone and the back gives its common name or location plus a key fact, such as how many there are.
It is aimed at middle and high school biology, introductory anatomy and physiology, and anyone preparing for health-science courses. Individual skull bones and the separate carpal and tarsal names are left for a more detailed deck.
Study with a skeleton diagram open next to you, or print the deck and stick cards on a life-size outline.
Study tips
- Touch the bone on your own body when you review it: collarbone, kneecap, shin.
- Learn the arm and leg as a matching pattern: humerus ↔ femur, radius/ulna ↔ tibia/fibula, carpals ↔ tarsals.
- For the radius and ulna, remember the radius is on the thumb side.
- Vertebrae counts (7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar) match common meal times: breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, dinner at 5.
All 37 cards
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Cranium | The part of the skull that encloses the brain; made of 8 bones fused at sutures |
| Mandible | Lower jaw; the only skull bone that moves freely |
| Maxilla | Upper jaw; holds the upper teeth |
| Zygomatic bone | Cheekbone |
| Nasal bones | Two small bones forming the bridge of the nose |
| Hyoid | U-shaped bone in the neck; does not connect directly to any other bone |
| Malleus, incus, stapes | Middle ear ossicles (hammer, anvil, stirrup); the stapes is the smallest bone |
| Cervical vertebrae | 7 neck vertebrae (C1–C7) |
| Atlas | C1, the top vertebra; supports the skull and allows nodding |
| Axis | C2; its peg (dens) lets the head turn side to side |
| Thoracic vertebrae | 12 vertebrae of the upper back (T1–T12); the ribs attach to them |
| Lumbar vertebrae | 5 large vertebrae of the lower back (L1–L5) |
| Sacrum | Triangular bone at the base of the spine; 5 fused vertebrae |
| Coccyx | Tailbone; 3–5 small fused vertebrae |
| Sternum | Breastbone; flat bone at the front of the chest |
| Ribs | 12 pairs; pairs 1–7 are true ribs, 8–12 false ribs (11 and 12 are floating ribs) |
| Clavicle | Collarbone; links the sternum to the shoulder blade |
| Scapula | Shoulder blade; flat triangular bone on the upper back |
| Humerus | Upper arm bone, from shoulder to elbow |
| Radius | Forearm bone on the thumb side |
| Ulna | Forearm bone on the little-finger side; forms the point of the elbow |
| Carpals | 8 small wrist bones in two rows |
| Metacarpals | 5 bones of the palm |
| Phalanges (hand) | Finger bones; 14 per hand (2 in the thumb, 3 in each finger) |
| Pelvis (hip bone) | Each hip bone is formed by the ilium, ischium and pubis fused together |
| Ilium | Upper, wing-shaped part of the hip bone; you feel it at your hip |
| Ischium | Lower back part of the hip bone; the bone you sit on |
| Pubis | Front part of the hip bone; the two meet at the pubic symphysis |
| Femur | Thigh bone; the longest and strongest bone in the body |
| Patella | Kneecap; sits in front of the knee joint |
| Tibia | Shin bone; the larger, weight-bearing bone of the lower leg |
| Fibula | Thin bone on the outer side of the lower leg |
| Tarsals | 7 ankle and rear-foot bones |
| Talus | Ankle bone that connects the leg to the foot |
| Calcaneus | Heel bone; the largest bone in the foot |
| Metatarsals | 5 long bones of the middle of the foot |
| Phalanges (foot) | Toe bones; 14 per foot (2 in the big toe, 3 in each other toe) |
Frequently asked questions
›How many bones are in the adult human body?
Typically 206. Babies are born with more separate bony pieces, which fuse as they grow.
›What is the longest bone in the body?
The femur (thigh bone).
›What is the smallest bone?
The stapes, one of the three tiny bones in the middle ear.
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