Question

How many ribs does the human body have? What are false ribs?

Answer 1

Hint: Thin flat bones that are connected to the vertebral column and sternum on the dorsal and ventral side respectively whose number is one pair less equals to the number of vertebrae of the vertebral column.

Complete answer:
In the human chest, there are 12 pairs of ribs present and each rib is like a thin flat bone that is connected to the vertebral column dorsally and to the sternum ventrally. Bicephalic ribs are found in the human body. They are called so because they contain two articulation surfaces at their dorsal end. Among those 12 pairs of ribs, the first seven pairs of ribs are called true ribs. With the help of hyaline cartilage, the ribs are connected to the thoracic vertebrae dorsally and to the sternum ventrally. The remaining three pairs of ribs are called false ribs i.e, 8th, 9th, and 10th pairs of ribs because they do not directly articulate with the sternum. They join the cartilaginous parts of the 7th rib. The last two pairs i.e, 11th and 12th pairs of the ribs are not connected ventrally either to the sternum or the anterior ribs, hence they are called floating ribs. The last five pairs of ribs that are not attached to the sternum directly are called false ribs.

Additional information:
- The central hollow portion in the body through which the spinal cord passes is called the vertebral column which is differentiated into cervical(7), thoracic(12), lumbar(5), sacral(1-fused), and coccygeal(1-fused).

Note: True ribs are also called vertebro-sternal ribs(the first seven pairs of ribs) and the false ribs also called vertebro-chondral ribs(remaining five pairs of ribs).
11th and 12th pairs of ribs are called floating ribs because they are not attached either to the sternum or anterior ribs ventrally.