Question

Describe the two non-living components of bone that provide strength and flexibility

Answer 1

In humans bones are formed of 2 types of tissue:

Cortical or compact bone which is a hard outside layer of bone. It is tough,dense & strong.

Cancellous or spongy bone consisting of a netword of trabeculae.

The following components are found in the bone

• osteblats and osteocytes that form the bone cells
• osteoblasts that reabsorb the bone cells
• a matrix that does not contain mineral and has collage and other proteins
• inorganic minerals salts- these are deposited in the matrix and are non living. Their function is to provide strength to the bone to bear heavy loads specially the bones of the lower limb which bears the weight of the whole upper body

The bone gets its hard and rigid structure by the mineral salts present in the matrix, these are crystalline calcium and phosphate complex also called hydroxyapatite.

A calcified bone has twenty five percentage of organic components of which two to five percent are the bone cells (osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts )and five percent is water, and the rest seventy five percent are the inorganic component that is the minerals which are the non-living components of the bone. Bone stores mineral complexes which gives it its strength and stability.