BPK 241 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
DETAILED ANSWERS. EXPERT
VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS.
What are the types of vertebrae in the body? - ANS 7 - Cervicals
12 - Thoracic
5 - Lumbar
5 - sacral
coccyx
what part of the spine develops lordotic curves? - ANS Cervical and Lumbar
what part of the spine develops Kyphotic curves? - ANS Thoracic and Sacral
How many vertebrae are there? also how many true/false - ANS 33 - vertebrae
24 - true
9 - false
Features of the spine are: - ANS Spinous process
Transverse process
Pedicle
Lamina
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,vertebral body
Facet joints
What are C1 and C2 of the spine called? - ANS Atlas and axis
typical vs atypical vertebrae: - ANS Typical: Contains a vertebral body
Atypical: Doesn't contain a vertebral body
How are the facets for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine oriented? - ANS Cervicale:
Oriented horizontally; allowing fair amount of movement in each direction
Thoracic: One overlaps the other; allows all movement but more rotational because the facet
joints can slide over each other.
Lumbar: Oriented in a sagittal plane; allows a lot of flexion/extension but not so much rotation
As we go down the spine, what happens to the vertebral body? - ANS it gets bigger
what is the anatomy, function and type of joints for intervertebral discs? - ANS Anatomy:
Lies between vertebral bodies, consists of annulus fibrosis, and nucleus pulposus.
Function:
Cushioning and Stability
Joints:
fibrocartilaginous joint; found between disc and vertebral body
Synovial joint; facet joint( 4 per vertebrae)
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,What happens with each layer of Annulus fibers? - ANS With each layer, the orientation of
the collagen fibers changes; making the annulus fibrosis stronger
what is the difference between the anterior and posterior side of the annulus fibrosis? -
ANS its thicker anteriorly and thinner posteriorly.
Which layer of the annulus fibrosis receives nerve and blood supply? - ANS The outer most
layer
Annulus fibrosis when bending and rotating...? - ANS Allows for compression of the disc
when bending.
Tightens up when rotating
Describe the behavior of the nucleus pulposus. - ANS Nucleus pulposus is like a liquid and is
not compressible.
applied force creates outward radial pressure in all directions inside the disk.
Why does the nucleus pulposus have a high water content? - ANS Because its filled up with
proteoglycan fibers that are proteins fibers and hydrophilic. They draw water into the disk.
How do different body postures affect compressive and tensile forces on the intervertebral
disc? - ANS Different body postures significantly change the compressive load on the disc
and the tensile stress in the annulus fibrosus.
Supine has the lowest load
Standing and sitting increase compression
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, Bending and loading (especially when sitting and
slumped) cause the highest compression and tension
During each posture, which is more, compression or tension? - ANS Tension
Type of ligaments in the spine and their functions. - ANS Anterior/Posterior longitudinal
ligament:
Connects the vertebral bodies.
Ligamenta flava:
Connects the laminae
Intertransverse ligaments:
Connects transverse processes
Interspinous/supraspinous
Connects Spinous processes
Muscles in the spine. - ANS Erector spinae - superficial
transversospinalis - deep
other muscles
Movements involving the vertebral bodies. - ANS Flexion/Extension:
Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar
Lateral Flexion:
Cervical, Thoracic(minimal), and lumbar
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DETAILED ANSWERS. EXPERT
VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS.
What are the types of vertebrae in the body? - ANS 7 - Cervicals
12 - Thoracic
5 - Lumbar
5 - sacral
coccyx
what part of the spine develops lordotic curves? - ANS Cervical and Lumbar
what part of the spine develops Kyphotic curves? - ANS Thoracic and Sacral
How many vertebrae are there? also how many true/false - ANS 33 - vertebrae
24 - true
9 - false
Features of the spine are: - ANS Spinous process
Transverse process
Pedicle
Lamina
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,vertebral body
Facet joints
What are C1 and C2 of the spine called? - ANS Atlas and axis
typical vs atypical vertebrae: - ANS Typical: Contains a vertebral body
Atypical: Doesn't contain a vertebral body
How are the facets for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine oriented? - ANS Cervicale:
Oriented horizontally; allowing fair amount of movement in each direction
Thoracic: One overlaps the other; allows all movement but more rotational because the facet
joints can slide over each other.
Lumbar: Oriented in a sagittal plane; allows a lot of flexion/extension but not so much rotation
As we go down the spine, what happens to the vertebral body? - ANS it gets bigger
what is the anatomy, function and type of joints for intervertebral discs? - ANS Anatomy:
Lies between vertebral bodies, consists of annulus fibrosis, and nucleus pulposus.
Function:
Cushioning and Stability
Joints:
fibrocartilaginous joint; found between disc and vertebral body
Synovial joint; facet joint( 4 per vertebrae)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,What happens with each layer of Annulus fibers? - ANS With each layer, the orientation of
the collagen fibers changes; making the annulus fibrosis stronger
what is the difference between the anterior and posterior side of the annulus fibrosis? -
ANS its thicker anteriorly and thinner posteriorly.
Which layer of the annulus fibrosis receives nerve and blood supply? - ANS The outer most
layer
Annulus fibrosis when bending and rotating...? - ANS Allows for compression of the disc
when bending.
Tightens up when rotating
Describe the behavior of the nucleus pulposus. - ANS Nucleus pulposus is like a liquid and is
not compressible.
applied force creates outward radial pressure in all directions inside the disk.
Why does the nucleus pulposus have a high water content? - ANS Because its filled up with
proteoglycan fibers that are proteins fibers and hydrophilic. They draw water into the disk.
How do different body postures affect compressive and tensile forces on the intervertebral
disc? - ANS Different body postures significantly change the compressive load on the disc
and the tensile stress in the annulus fibrosus.
Supine has the lowest load
Standing and sitting increase compression
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, Bending and loading (especially when sitting and
slumped) cause the highest compression and tension
During each posture, which is more, compression or tension? - ANS Tension
Type of ligaments in the spine and their functions. - ANS Anterior/Posterior longitudinal
ligament:
Connects the vertebral bodies.
Ligamenta flava:
Connects the laminae
Intertransverse ligaments:
Connects transverse processes
Interspinous/supraspinous
Connects Spinous processes
Muscles in the spine. - ANS Erector spinae - superficial
transversospinalis - deep
other muscles
Movements involving the vertebral bodies. - ANS Flexion/Extension:
Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar
Lateral Flexion:
Cervical, Thoracic(minimal), and lumbar
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
