AnatomyLesson 2 of 2 in the course Axial Skeleton

Skull Anatomy: Cranial and Facial Bones, Openings, Joints, and Sinuses

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

The skull supports the structures of the face, protects the brain, and provides openings and attachment sites for nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. This lesson introduces the skull’s major divisions and the landmarks visible from the front and side.

In an adult, the skull consists of 22 bones. Twenty-one are immobile and joined into a single unit. The mandible, or lower jaw, is the only movable bone of the skull. The hyoid is nearby in the neck but is not part of the skull because it does not articulate with another bone.

All flashcards

What is the brain case?
The rounded part of the skull that surrounds and protects the brain and houses structures of the middle and inner ears.
What is the facial skeleton responsible for?
It underlies facial structures, forms parts of the nasal cavity and orbits, and supports the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
What is the only movable bone of the skull?
The mandible, or lower jaw. It moves during actions such as opening the mouth, speaking, and chewing.
What is the zygomatic arch made from?
It is formed where the temporal process of the zygomatic bone joins the zygomatic process of the temporal bone.
Where are the temporal and infratemporal fossae?
The temporal fossa lies above the zygomatic arch; the infratemporal fossa lies below it and deep to the vertical part of the mandible. Both contain chewing muscles.

Quiz questions

  1. What are the two major divisions of the skull?Answer: The brain case and the facial skeleton.
  2. How many bones are in the adult skull, and which is movable?Answer: There are 22 bones, and the mandible is the only movable one.
  3. Which opening transmits a sensory nerve to the forehead?Answer: The supraorbital foramen.
  4. Which bones contribute processes that join to form the zygomatic arch?Answer: The zygomatic bone and the temporal bone.
  5. A muscle that elevates the mandible during chewing arises from which structure?Answer: The zygomatic arch.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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