Bones
Bones provide support for our bodies.
Without them we wouldn't be able to
stand or walk and although they are
very light, they are strong enough to
hold our entire weight.
Did you know your bones are alive?
Although we think of bones as hard, dry
objects when we see them in museums,
the bones in your body are alive and
growing and changing all the time.
Cranium
Clavicle
Humerus
Ribs
Radius
Vertebrae
Ulna
Pelvis
Femur
Patella
Tibia
Fibula
Most of your bones are made
up of the same materials:
periosteum
The outer layer of your bones is
called periosteum (you say this
like pare-ee-OS-tee-um). This is
a thin membrane that covers the
outside of the bone, that contains
blood vessels and nerves.
bone marrow
In many bones there is bone
marrow – this is the inside of
the bone that is like a thick
jelly and it makes blood cells.
cancellous bone
compact bone
This part of the bone is
smooth and hard – in fact
it is one of the hardest
materials in the body.
4
FUSE
Inside the compact bone there are
lots of layers of cancellous bone
(you say this like KAN-sell-us).
This bone looks a bit like a sponge
and it isn't as hard as compact bone
– but it is still extremely strong.