EONS LEARNING

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      • Study Skills
      • Periodic Table
      • Common Ion Sheet
      • The Scientific Method
      • Doing Background Research
    • Introduction and Course Philosophy
    • Unit 1: Beginning Chemistry >
      • Lesson 1: The Atom >
        • What is an Atom?
        • The Structure of Atoms
        • The Periodic Table
        • Modeling Atoms
      • Lesson 2: Chemical Bonding >
        • Why Do Atoms Form Bonds?
        • Ionic Bonding
        • Covalent Bonding
        • Intermolecular Attraction
      • Lesson 3: Chemical Nomenclature >
        • Octet Rule
        • Ionic Compounds
        • Covalent Molecules
      • Lesson 4: Molecular Molecules >
        • Modeling Ionic Compounds
        • Modeling Covalent Molecules
      • Lesson 5: States of Matter >
        • States of Matter
        • Phase Changes
      • Lesson 6: Density >
        • What is Density?
        • Calculating Density
      • Lesson 7: Thermodynamics >
        • Temperature
        • Heat
        • Gas Laws
      • Lesson 8: Solution Chemistry >
        • Diffusion
        • Solutions and Molarity
        • Semi-Permeable Membranes
      • Lesson 9: Thermal Expansion >
        • Thermal Expansion
    • Unit 2: Earth Science >
      • Lesson 10: Earth at a Glance >
        • Perspective
        • Maps
      • Lesson 11: Layers of the Earth >
        • Layers of the Earth
      • Lesson 12: Plate Tectonics >
        • Plate Tectonics
      • Lesson 13: Rocks and Minerals >
        • Rocks and Minerals
      • Lesson 14: Particle Sorting >
        • Differentiation
        • Deposition of Sediment
      • Lesson 15: The Atmosphere >
        • Composition of the Atmosphere
        • Layers of the Atmosphere
        • Change Over Time
        • Atmospheric Disruption
    • Unit 3: The Cell >
      • Lesson 16: Life >
        • What is Life?
        • Structural Hierarchy of Living Things
      • Lesson 17: Biochemistry >
        • Intro to Biochemistry
        • Water
        • Micromolecules
        • Energy, Carbohydrates, Lipids
        • Protein and Nucleic Acid
      • Lesson 18: Cells >
        • What are Cells?
        • Microscopy
        • Plant and Animal Cells
      • Lesson 19: Membrane Transport >
        • A Special Environment
        • The Structure of Membranes
        • Membrane Transport
      • Lesson 20: Energy and Cell Respiration >
        • Energy in Biology
        • Energy Diagrams
        • Glycolysis and Anaerobic Respiration
        • Aerobic Cellular Respiration
      • Lesson 21: Photosynthesis >
        • Plants Get Energy From The Sun
        • Photosynthesis Process
        • Energy, Ecosystems, and the Environment
    • Unit 4: Anatomy and Physiology >
      • Lesson 22: The Human Body >
        • What Are Bodies Made Of?
        • What Do Bodies Do?
      • Lesson 23: The Nervous System >
        • The Nervous System
        • Neuronal Communication
        • The Central Nervous System
      • Lesson 24: The Endocrine System >
        • The Endocrine System
        • Hormones
        • Hormones, Puberty, and Reproduction
      • Lesson 25: The Integumentary System >
        • The Integumentary System
      • Lesson 26: The Musculoskeletal System >
        • The Skeletal System
        • The Muscular System
        • Anatomy Of The Musculoskeletal System
      • Lesson 27: The Cardiovascular System >
        • Blood and Blood Vessels
        • The Heart
      • Lesson 28: The Respiratory System >
        • The Respiratory System
      • Lesson 29: The Digestive System >
        • The Digestive System
        • Nutrition
      • Lesson 30: The Excretory System >
        • The Excretory System
      • Lesson 31: The Immune System >
        • Disease and Infection
        • Immunity
    • Units 5-6 Coming Soon
  • Workbench
    • Unit 1 >
      • EIS >
        • Lesson 1: Atoms
        • Lesson 2: Chemical Bonding
        • Lesson 3: Chemical Nomenclature
        • Lesson 4: Molecular Models
        • Lesson 5: States of Matter
        • Lesson 6: Density
        • Lesson 7: Thermodynamics
        • Lesson 8: Solution Chemistry
        • Lesson 9: Thermal Expansion
      • Unit 1: Project
      • Unit 1: Exam Review
      • Unit 1: Exam
    • Unit 2 >
      • EIS >
        • Lesson 10: Earth at a Glance
        • Lesson 11: Layers of the Earth
        • Lesson 12: Plate Tectonics
        • Lesson 13: Rocks and Minerals
        • Lesson 14: Particle Sorting
        • Lesson 15: The Atmosphere
      • Unit 2: Project
      • Unit 2: Exam Review
      • Unit 2: Exam
    • Unit 3 >
      • EIS >
        • Lesson 16: Life
        • Lesson 17: Biochemsitry
        • Lesson 18: Cells
        • Lesson 19: Membrane Transport
        • Lesson 20: Energy and Cell Respiration
        • Lesson 21: Photosynthesis
      • Unit 3: Project
      • Unit 3: Exam Review
      • Unit 3: Exam
    • Unit 4 >
      • EIS >
        • 22: The Human Body
        • 23: The Nervous System
        • 24: The Endocrine System
        • 25: The Integumentary System
        • 26: The Musculoskeletal System
        • 27: The Cardiovascular System
        • 28: The Respiratory System
        • 29: The Digestive System
        • 30: The Excretory System
        • 31: The Immune System
      • Unit 4 Project
      • Unit 4 Exam Review
      • Unit 4 Exam
    • Units 5-6 Coming Soon
  • Donate
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Classroom
    • Resources >
      • Study Skills
      • Periodic Table
      • Common Ion Sheet
      • The Scientific Method
      • Doing Background Research
    • Introduction and Course Philosophy
    • Unit 1: Beginning Chemistry >
      • Lesson 1: The Atom >
        • What is an Atom?
        • The Structure of Atoms
        • The Periodic Table
        • Modeling Atoms
      • Lesson 2: Chemical Bonding >
        • Why Do Atoms Form Bonds?
        • Ionic Bonding
        • Covalent Bonding
        • Intermolecular Attraction
      • Lesson 3: Chemical Nomenclature >
        • Octet Rule
        • Ionic Compounds
        • Covalent Molecules
      • Lesson 4: Molecular Molecules >
        • Modeling Ionic Compounds
        • Modeling Covalent Molecules
      • Lesson 5: States of Matter >
        • States of Matter
        • Phase Changes
      • Lesson 6: Density >
        • What is Density?
        • Calculating Density
      • Lesson 7: Thermodynamics >
        • Temperature
        • Heat
        • Gas Laws
      • Lesson 8: Solution Chemistry >
        • Diffusion
        • Solutions and Molarity
        • Semi-Permeable Membranes
      • Lesson 9: Thermal Expansion >
        • Thermal Expansion
    • Unit 2: Earth Science >
      • Lesson 10: Earth at a Glance >
        • Perspective
        • Maps
      • Lesson 11: Layers of the Earth >
        • Layers of the Earth
      • Lesson 12: Plate Tectonics >
        • Plate Tectonics
      • Lesson 13: Rocks and Minerals >
        • Rocks and Minerals
      • Lesson 14: Particle Sorting >
        • Differentiation
        • Deposition of Sediment
      • Lesson 15: The Atmosphere >
        • Composition of the Atmosphere
        • Layers of the Atmosphere
        • Change Over Time
        • Atmospheric Disruption
    • Unit 3: The Cell >
      • Lesson 16: Life >
        • What is Life?
        • Structural Hierarchy of Living Things
      • Lesson 17: Biochemistry >
        • Intro to Biochemistry
        • Water
        • Micromolecules
        • Energy, Carbohydrates, Lipids
        • Protein and Nucleic Acid
      • Lesson 18: Cells >
        • What are Cells?
        • Microscopy
        • Plant and Animal Cells
      • Lesson 19: Membrane Transport >
        • A Special Environment
        • The Structure of Membranes
        • Membrane Transport
      • Lesson 20: Energy and Cell Respiration >
        • Energy in Biology
        • Energy Diagrams
        • Glycolysis and Anaerobic Respiration
        • Aerobic Cellular Respiration
      • Lesson 21: Photosynthesis >
        • Plants Get Energy From The Sun
        • Photosynthesis Process
        • Energy, Ecosystems, and the Environment
    • Unit 4: Anatomy and Physiology >
      • Lesson 22: The Human Body >
        • What Are Bodies Made Of?
        • What Do Bodies Do?
      • Lesson 23: The Nervous System >
        • The Nervous System
        • Neuronal Communication
        • The Central Nervous System
      • Lesson 24: The Endocrine System >
        • The Endocrine System
        • Hormones
        • Hormones, Puberty, and Reproduction
      • Lesson 25: The Integumentary System >
        • The Integumentary System
      • Lesson 26: The Musculoskeletal System >
        • The Skeletal System
        • The Muscular System
        • Anatomy Of The Musculoskeletal System
      • Lesson 27: The Cardiovascular System >
        • Blood and Blood Vessels
        • The Heart
      • Lesson 28: The Respiratory System >
        • The Respiratory System
      • Lesson 29: The Digestive System >
        • The Digestive System
        • Nutrition
      • Lesson 30: The Excretory System >
        • The Excretory System
      • Lesson 31: The Immune System >
        • Disease and Infection
        • Immunity
    • Units 5-6 Coming Soon
  • Workbench
    • Unit 1 >
      • EIS >
        • Lesson 1: Atoms
        • Lesson 2: Chemical Bonding
        • Lesson 3: Chemical Nomenclature
        • Lesson 4: Molecular Models
        • Lesson 5: States of Matter
        • Lesson 6: Density
        • Lesson 7: Thermodynamics
        • Lesson 8: Solution Chemistry
        • Lesson 9: Thermal Expansion
      • Unit 1: Project
      • Unit 1: Exam Review
      • Unit 1: Exam
    • Unit 2 >
      • EIS >
        • Lesson 10: Earth at a Glance
        • Lesson 11: Layers of the Earth
        • Lesson 12: Plate Tectonics
        • Lesson 13: Rocks and Minerals
        • Lesson 14: Particle Sorting
        • Lesson 15: The Atmosphere
      • Unit 2: Project
      • Unit 2: Exam Review
      • Unit 2: Exam
    • Unit 3 >
      • EIS >
        • Lesson 16: Life
        • Lesson 17: Biochemsitry
        • Lesson 18: Cells
        • Lesson 19: Membrane Transport
        • Lesson 20: Energy and Cell Respiration
        • Lesson 21: Photosynthesis
      • Unit 3: Project
      • Unit 3: Exam Review
      • Unit 3: Exam
    • Unit 4 >
      • EIS >
        • 22: The Human Body
        • 23: The Nervous System
        • 24: The Endocrine System
        • 25: The Integumentary System
        • 26: The Musculoskeletal System
        • 27: The Cardiovascular System
        • 28: The Respiratory System
        • 29: The Digestive System
        • 30: The Excretory System
        • 31: The Immune System
      • Unit 4 Project
      • Unit 4 Exam Review
      • Unit 4 Exam
    • Units 5-6 Coming Soon
  • Donate

the skeletal system

the role of the musculoskeletal system

Have you ever broken a bone or pulled a muscle? Having your leg in a cast or an ice pack on your arm can really limit how you move around. Our musculoskeletal system is amazing because it supports your entire body, protects important organs like your heart and stomach, and acts as the main storage system for minerals. That’s why, when you break or hurt a part of it, it can seriously change the way you live, even in the short-term. 

In this part of the lesson, we’ll talk about the role of the skeletal system in providing leverage to your muscles and protection to the organs underneath. In the next part of this lesson, we’ll talk a bit about how your muscular system allows you to move. Finally, I’ll introduce the names of some important bones and muscles that are good to know the names of. First off, bones.
Picture

Providing leverage for movement

Have you ever tried to pull something toward you or push something away from you with something floppy: for example, a pool noodle? What about writing with one of those bendy pencils? How did that go for you? My guess is not well. The reason for this is that you need leverage—something firm to push off against—in order to produce any useful force. 

Don’t believe me? Try for yourself! A great way to demonstrate the need for leverage is to grab a pool noodle (one of those floppy foam things that you use to float around—or whack your siblings upside the head with—in the pool). Now try pushing open a door (or pulling it shut, or lifting up a small chair, or picking up something with one end of it—anything that requires some force). Did it work? Again, my guess is no.

Now try sticking a broom handle through that pool noodle. My guess is it’s a lot easier to move stuff around with it. You could use it as a crutch, you could push open a door with it (might still be a bit tricky to maneuver a door handle), you could even make a Quidditch broom with it—the point is, the leverage that the broom handle gave you turned your useless pool noodle into an actual, useful tool/toy.
Picture
So it is with the human body. Imagine you suddenly lost all the bones in your arm. Or, on the topic of Quidditch, if you’re Harry Potter, just remember that time that the combined “helpfulness” of Dobby the House Elf (bless) and The! Gilderoy Lockhart actually made you lose all of the bones in your arm:
Picture
What a useless sack of skin and muscle. Also, the arm.

joints

Moveable joints are really important. Think back to when you were trying to turn a door handle with a broom handle. You weren’t able to do much without actual hands, were you? Probably not. So, it’s important that we have bones, because they provide leverage for movement, but it’s also really important that these bones have joints, otherwise the types of movement you could do would be very limited. Like a robot. Except that even robots have some joints. The importance of joints is beautifully summarized here:
Thanks, non-proprietary Elsa and Anna. 

Joints are anywhere two bones meet. Because there are lots of ways that bones can meet, there are a few different types of joints. Actually, not all of them are movable. For example, the joints where your skull bones meet don’t move at all. They’re called fibrous joints. The joints where your ribs meet your sternum (breastbone) only provide a little bit of stretch, so that you can breathe in and breathe out without your ribs restricting your movement. These are called cartilaginous joints. All of the joints that you think of as “hinges”—your movable joints—are called synovial joints. There are a few different types of synovial joints depending on how they move. For example, ball-and-socket joints—like in your shoulder and hip—move all around in circles, while hinge joints—like your elbow and knee—move back and forth.
Picture

providing protection

Long bones like the ones in your arms and legs are awesome levers for movement, but that’s not the only function of the skeletal system! We also have flat bones which provide protection.
Picture
Flat bones include the ribs and the bones of the skull. Think about what these bones do. Sure, the bones of the face provide some leverage for your facial muscles so you can make facial expressions, and your jaws and teeth are important for chewing and grinding your food. The ribs also have some function in acting as an anchoring point for the muscles of your chest, back, and shoulders, including the ones that help you breathe. But, arguably their most important function lies in protecting what’s underneath: Some of your most important organs. The skull protects your delicate and precious brain, while your ribs protect your heart and lungs. They are able to do this by striking the perfect balance of rigidity and springiness.

storing calcium and phosphorous

You’ve probably heard that you need a lot of calcium to make your bones strong. Calcium is also important for a lot of other processes in your body, like muscle contraction (including heart muscle contraction!), release of neurotransmitters from nerves, and clotting blood. It’s important that your body keep extra of this important ion on hand just in case you ever start running low. Since many of the compounds made from calcium are rigid solids, the best place to store it is in the bones.

Calcium storage is closely regulated by hormones in the body. Parathyroid hormone released by the parathyroid gland (these are small nodules on the thyroid gland) raises blood calcium by causing bones to release it. Calcitonin released by the thyroid gland lowers blood calcium by storing more in bones. You don’t really need to know these details for this class, but it’s another good example of how endocrine signalling helps to maintain homeostasis.
Picture
In addition to calcium, bones also store phosphorus. Phosphorus is needed for ATP production, among other roles in the body.

blood cell production

Bone isn’t just a structurally important calcium storage tank, though, as important as these functions are. It houses bone marrow, which produces both red blood cells, which carry oxygen, and white blood cells, which are part of the immune system. Bone marrow is found at the center part of long bones.
Picture
If you’d like to learn more about the importance of bone marrow, this video gives a good overview:

Summary

This video gives a good overview of some of the most important topics we discussed, plus a bit of a deeper dive into the skeletal system:
You should understand:
  • That bones provide leverage for muscles to move.
  • That joints are anywhere two bones meet. Moveable (synovial) joints allow for muscle movement/bending.
  • That flat bones, such as the ribs and skull, protect structures underneath.
  • That bones store calcium and phosphorus, which is regulated by hormones.
  • That bone marrow found inside of long bones are responsible for producing all of your blood cells.

Learning Activity

Picture
Next: The Muscular System

Contributors: Megha Kori, Emma Moulton
Some images made using biorender.com
© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.