NETA Personal Trainer Practice Exam

How many bones are found in the appendicular skeleton?

1. 80

2. 126

3. 106

4. 154

The correct answer is: 126

The appendicular skeleton consists of a total of 126 bones. This includes the bones of the limbs and the supporting structures, such as the shoulder girdle (clavicles and scapulae) and the pelvic girdle (hip bones). The upper limbs consist of 64 bones (32 in each arm) and the lower limbs have 62 bones (31 in each leg), making a total of 126 bones. The other options represent incorrect totals for the appendicular skeleton. For example, the number of 80 may represent a misunderstanding of the total bones if one were to incorrectly sum only certain segments of the skeleton. Similarly, the numbers 106 and 154 do not correlate with the accurate count of bones found in the appendicular skeleton, which is specifically categorized into the upper and lower extremities and their corresponding girdles. By understanding the division of the skeleton into axial and appendicular components, one can easily arrive at the correct total of 126 bones in the appendicular skeleton.