Rib cage

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/rib-cage

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the vertebral articulation?Each rib articulates with the thoracic vertebrae at two points
2. What is the costal cartilage?Connects most ribs to the sternum, providing flexibility
3. What is a rib cage and why is it important?The rib cage is a bony framework made of 12 pairs of ribs and the sternum. It protects the heart, lungs, and blood vessels and helps you breathe.
4. How does the rib cage help us breathe?When you inhale, the ribs lift and the diaphragm moves down, making the chest bigger so air can flow into the lungs. When you exhale, the ribs go down and the diaphragm rises, pushing air out.

Endoskeletal Enclosure: A protective structure formed by bones on the inside of the body.
Thoracic Vertebrae: The 12 vertebrae in the upper back that ribs attach to.
Costal Cartilage: Tough, flexible connective tissue that connects ribs to the sternum.