Question
Identify every listed structure that belongs to the body's axial skeletal division. Circle all that apply.a. Pectoral (shoulder) girdleb. Lower limbc. Skulld. Vertebral columne. Pelvic girdlef. Thoracic cage
Answer
Circle c, d, and f: skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage. This question allows more than one selection.
| Option | Division | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| a. Pectoral girdle | Appendicular | Attaches the upper limbs to the trunk. |
| b. Lower limb | Appendicular | Belongs to a limb rather than the central skeletal axis. |
| c. Skull | Axial | Forms the bony framework of the head. |
| d. Vertebral column | Axial | Forms the spinal support along the central axis. |
| e. Pelvic girdle | Appendicular | Attaches the lower limbs to the axial skeleton. |
| f. Thoracic cage | Axial | Includes the ribs and sternum around the chest. |
Avoid the pelvis trap
The pelvic girdle consists of the hip bones. The bony pelvis also includes the sacrum and coccyx, which belong to the vertebral column and therefore the axial skeleton. Do not treat those two terms as interchangeable.
Select all three axial entries; selecting only the skull leaves this six-option question incomplete.
Evidence boundary
This adapted prompt follows Amerman, Human Anatomy & Physiology, 2nd edition, Chapter 7, Problem 1, as displayed by Pearson. It preserves the six-option order and the instruction “Circle all that apply.” It is not the alternate single-answer skull question. Pelvic girdle refers to the hip bones; sacrum and coccyx belong to the axial skeleton.
Sources
These references support the concepts and methods used in the explanation above.