The smallest and lightest bone in the human body is the Stapes. It is located in the middle ear. The Stapes is one of the three small bones. These bones are collectively called the ossicles. The Stapes Bone is also known as the ‘Stirrup Bone’ because it is shaped like a stirrup. The Stapes is […]
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The Rib cage is made up of long and curved bones. Ribs make a protective cage around the lungs, the liver and the heart. There are usually 12 pairs of ribs, each pair attached to the spine at the back. At the front of the body, the top 7 ribs are attached to the breast
Hiccups start at the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of the chest. When we inhale, the diaphragm pulls down to help the air into the lungs. When we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and air flows out of the lungs. Sometimes, the diaphragm becomes irritated. When this happens, it pulls down
The Windpipe is a wide and hollow tube in the throat that connects the mouth and the nose to the lungs. It is also called trachea. It is an integral part of the body’s airway as it provides air flow to and from the lungs for respiration by transporting air through the nose or mouth
Gallbladder is a small blue-coloured organ. This pear-shaped organ is hidden underneath the liver. Gallbladder is very important for proper functioning of the digestive system. The main objective of the gallbladder is to store the bile juice which is secreted by the liver. The organ has a sac-like structure which is divided into three segments:
Bone Marrow is a thick, spongy kind of jelly inside the bones. Bone Marrow makes red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight infections, and platelets that help blood clot. Bone Marrow is found in the flat bones such as the hip, breast, skull, ribs, vertebrae and shoulder blades. It is also
Tears are produced by tear glands which are small glands inside the eyelid. Tears keep the surface of eyeball clean and moist. They help to protect the eye from damage. The eyelids spread the tears over the surface of the eye. Tears flow down a tiny tube at the edge of lower eyelid, next to
Nails are made in folds of the skin near the ends of fingers and toes. They start growing in the nail root. Then, they slide out over the nail bed towards the end of toes and fingers. Near the end of the nail, it separates from the skin underneath it, where the nail colour changes
Hair grows at the hair root, a place beneath the skin where cells band together to form keratin. Keratin is the protein that hair is made of. The root is inside a follicle which is like a small tube in the skin. As the hair grows, it pushes up from the root and out of
Blood contains Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells and Platelets. Red Blood Cells develop in bone marrow. They contain a protein called Haemoglobin which combines with oxygen to give blood–a red colour. Red Blood Cells circulate for around 120 days. They carry oxygen around the body and remove carbon dioxide from the body. The shape
The Liver is the largest organ. It is located behind the ribcage in the right upper part of the abdomen. The Liver cleans the blood, produces a digestive liquid called Bile and stores energy in the form of a sugar called Glycogen. After eating, the nutrients from the food pass from the intestine into the
When we eat, the food first enters the mouth. We chew and swallow the food. Food stays in the mouth for about 10 seconds. Then, it moves down the oesophagus. Food takes 5-6 seconds to move down the oesophagus. Next, it enters the stomach where it stays between 2-4 hours. It then moves down into
The Hyoid Bone is a horseshoe-shaped bone that is located within the neck. This bone lies in between the chin and the thyroid ligament. It is the only bone that is not connected to any other bones. The Hyoid Bone is the one and only bone of the throat. It is connected only by muscles
Taste Buds are sensory organs that are found on the tongue. They pick up different tastes. Taste Buds contain taste receptors. Most of the Taste Buds that sense salty or sweet tastes are near the front of the tongue. The Taste Buds for sour tastes are along the sides of the tongue. The ones for
Humans have two Lungs. They are protected by muscles and the ribcage. Lungs are situated below the trachea (the windpipe) and above the diaphragm. The primary function of the Lungs is to transport oxygen from the air into the blood while taking away carbon dioxide which is released into the air by breathing out. The