Question

An example of a gliding joint is:
A) Humerus and glenoid cavity
B) Femur and tibio-fibula
C) Occipital condyle and odontoid process
D) Zygapophyses of adjacent vertebrae

Answer 1

Hint:
Joints are essential for all types of movements involving the bony parts of the body. Locomotory movements are no exception to this. Joints are points of contact between bones, or between bones and cartilage. Force generated by the muscles is used to carry out movement through joints, where the joint acts as a fulcrum.

Complete step by step solution:
The gliding joint is a kind of synovial joint. The bony surface that the joint holds together are flat, or slightly rounded. This joint holds two or more bones together. It also allows the bone to move relative to each other. These are characterized by a fluid-filled synovial cavity in the articulating surfaces of the two bones. This arrangement helped in considerable movement. Gliding joints help in locomotion and other movements. For example, the joint between zygapophyses of adjacent vertebrae, ball and socket joint (between the humerus and pectoral girdle), hinge joint( knee joint), pivot joint(between atlas and axis), gliding joint (between carpals), and saddle joint between carpals and metacarpals.
Additional information In cartilaginous joints, the bones involved are joined together with the help of cartilage.

Option ‘D’ is correct

Note:
Fibrous joints are of three types: 1) sutures or synostoses. These are found between the bones of the skull. 2) Syndesmoses : these are the joints where two adjacent bones are linked together by a considerably greater amount of connective tissue than in sutures in form of interosseous ligaments and the membrane. 3)Gomphoses: it is a specialized fibrous joint restricted to the fixation of teeth in alveolar sockets of the maxilla and mandible.