What is a skeleton?
Do you ever wonder what your skeleton is or ,more importantly, what it does? A skeleton provides the structure of your body, it protects the various internal organs, produces red and white blood cells, and stores minerals.
Your skeleton provides the structure of your body, giving it shape. Some animals have internal skeletons called endoskeletons, and others have external skeletons called exoskeletons. Humans have endoskeletons. Bugs usually have an exoskeleton which is the hard bony covering that is normally shiny. Have you ever wondered if an armadillo or a turtle have an endoskeleton or and exoskeleton? Well, both actually have endoskeletons, not exoskeletons. They just have specialized protection for themselves. Did you know that without a skeleton people wouldn't be able to run, jump, ride a horse, or even put a fork in their mouth.
The skeleton also protects the internal organs. For example, the ribcage protects the heart and lungs, the skull protects the brain, and your spine protects your spinal cord. Did you know that your bones are made up of mineralized osseous tissue, a porous, hardened substance? It gives your bones a rigid, three dimensional inside structure that provides protection.
Another important thing that your bones do is to make red and white blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to your muscles and your brain. White blood cells take care of nasty germs in the blood. If people didn't have bones, you wouldn't get any oxygen anywhere, and you wouldn't have enough white blood cells to fight off infections in your blood.
Bones also store minerals. Some of the major minerals that your bones store are calcium and phosphorous. These keep your bones strong and healthy. Bones release minerals into our bodies when we need them for other usages.
So as you can see your skeleton has many functions. It provides protection for the internal organs. It also supplies minerals for the body, as well as produces red and white blood cells; all to make a strong and healthy body.
Do you ever wonder what your skeleton is or ,more importantly, what it does? A skeleton provides the structure of your body, it protects the various internal organs, produces red and white blood cells, and stores minerals.
Your skeleton provides the structure of your body, giving it shape. Some animals have internal skeletons called endoskeletons, and others have external skeletons called exoskeletons. Humans have endoskeletons. Bugs usually have an exoskeleton which is the hard bony covering that is normally shiny. Have you ever wondered if an armadillo or a turtle have an endoskeleton or and exoskeleton? Well, both actually have endoskeletons, not exoskeletons. They just have specialized protection for themselves. Did you know that without a skeleton people wouldn't be able to run, jump, ride a horse, or even put a fork in their mouth.
The skeleton also protects the internal organs. For example, the ribcage protects the heart and lungs, the skull protects the brain, and your spine protects your spinal cord. Did you know that your bones are made up of mineralized osseous tissue, a porous, hardened substance? It gives your bones a rigid, three dimensional inside structure that provides protection.
Another important thing that your bones do is to make red and white blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to your muscles and your brain. White blood cells take care of nasty germs in the blood. If people didn't have bones, you wouldn't get any oxygen anywhere, and you wouldn't have enough white blood cells to fight off infections in your blood.
Bones also store minerals. Some of the major minerals that your bones store are calcium and phosphorous. These keep your bones strong and healthy. Bones release minerals into our bodies when we need them for other usages.
So as you can see your skeleton has many functions. It provides protection for the internal organs. It also supplies minerals for the body, as well as produces red and white blood cells; all to make a strong and healthy body.