The Skeletal System: Fact or Fib

9. Fact or Fib? Movement and support are the only functions of the skeletal system.

FIB. The skeletal system functions include support, protection, production of bone marrow and storage.

6. Fact or Fib? Most people have 12 ribs but some have 13.

FACT. A 13th rib is rare — only 1 percent of people are born with it. In most people, this extra rib, called a cervical rib, can cause medical issues like neck pain. For that reason, people born with this extra rib often have it removed.

8. Fact or Fib? Humans and Giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae. (neck bones)

FACT. The Giraffe is considered the tallest animal in the world. It has a similarity with human being. Both human being and giraffe have similar number of bones located on the neck. (7)

10. Fact or Fib? The bone that gets broken the most in children is the clavicle (the collar bone)

FACT. The most common broken bones in children list goes as follows: 1. clavicle 2. arm 3. wrist 4. ankle 5. toe or foot.

4. Fact or Fib? Your teeth are part of your skeletal system.

FACT. Your teeth ARE part of the skeletal system but they are NOT bones. The enamel on your teeth, which are considered part of your skeletal system, is actually stronger than bones. Enamel protects the delicate nerves and tissue inside your teeth. Inch for inch, your teeth can take more wear and tear than any of your other bones.

1. Fact or Fib? Adults will end up with just over 200 bones, but babies are born with almost 100 more.

FACT. Adults have 206 bones in their bodies, but the same is not true for infants. The skeleton of a newborn baby has around 300 different components, which are a mixture of bones and cartilage. The cartilage eventually solidifies into bone in a process called ossification — for example, the kneecaps of newborns start off as cartilage and become bone in a few years.

2. Fact or Fib? The hands and feet contain over half of the body's bones.

FACT. Bones come in all shapes and sizes, and are not evenly distributed throughout the body; some areas have far more bones than others. Coming out on top are your hands and feet. Each hand has 27 bones, and each foot has 26, which means that together the body's two hands and two feet have 106 bones. SO the hands and feet contain more than half of the bones in your entire body.

5. Fact or Fib? The biggest joint in your body is your shoulder.

FIB. At the knee joint, three bones connect: your femur, tibia, and patella. Those three large bones require an equally large joint to connect them. That's why your knee is the largest joint in your body.

7. Fact or Fib? The smallest bone in your body is in your little toe.

FIB. The stapes, a bone in your inner ear, is the smallest of all your bones. This bone is also sometimes called the stirrup because of its Y shape. Together with the anvil and hammer bones, the stapes helps translate sounds you hear into waves your brain can understand.

3. Fact or Fib? Every bone in the human body connects to another bone.

FIB. The hyoid bone, which is in your throat, is the only bone that doesn't connect to a joint. The hyoid is responsible for holding your tongue in place.