Basics of Bone Anatomy Quiz

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Full bank: 18 questions
Answers: Explained

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Which anatomical landmark of the hip bone (innominate bone) directly articulates with the head of the femur?

A Iliac crest
B Ischial tuberosity
C Pubic symphysis
D Anterior superior iliac spine
E Acetabulum ✓

The answer is E: Acetabulum

Explanation

Why E is correct

See The Hip/Innominate Bone. Option E is correct because the acetabulum is the cup-shaped socket on the outer surface of the hip bone that receives the rounded head of the femur, forming the hip joint, a ball-and-socket joint. The hip bone, also called the innominate bone, is an irregular bone made from three bones fused together: the ilium (the broad upper part), the ischium (the lower, back part) and the pubis (the front part). The acetabulum sits at the point where these three bones meet, and it forms a deep socket that makes the hip stable for weight bearing while still allowing a wide range of movement. The name is Latin for vinegar cup, which describes its shape well. Each hip bone also joins the sacrum at the sacroiliac joint at the back and its partner at the pubic symphysis at the front, completing the pelvic girdle (the bony ring of the pelvis).

Structure: the acetabulum is the cup-shaped socket of the hip bone.
Forms: the hip joint, a ball-and-socket joint with the head of the femur.
Meeting point: the ilium, ischium and pubis join at the acetabulum.

Why the other options are incorrect

A. Iliac crest: The iliac crest is the upper ridge of the ilium that you can feel at your waist. It anchors muscles and fascia but forms no joint with the femur. It lies well above the hip joint.
B. Ischial tuberosity: The ischial tuberosity is the rough knob of the ischium that bears your weight when sitting, often called the sitting bone. It lies below and behind the hip joint and has no articular surface for the femur.
C. Pubic symphysis: The pubic symphysis is the midline joint where the two pubic bones meet at the front of the pelvis. It links the two hip bones to each other rather than to the femur, and it is a very slightly moving joint.
D. Anterior superior iliac spine: The anterior superior iliac spine is a bony projection at the front of the iliac crest, used as a palpable landmark and a muscle attachment site. It does not form a joint with the femur and has no joint surface.

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1
Which set lists the three bones that make up the shoulder?
2
Which part of the adult vertebral column is made up of fused vertebrae rather than separate vertebrae capable of independent movement?

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