Lesson T1.2.1

T1.2.1 The human skeleton and its functions Quiz: KS3 Biology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T1.2.1, The human skeleton and its functions: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Biology (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Structure and function of living organisms, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which part of the skeleton protects the heart and lungs?

    • The fingers
    • The ribcage
    • The pelvis
    • The skull

  2. What is the main job of the skull?

    • To attach to the lungs
    • To move the eyes directly
    • To produce red blood cells
    • To protect the brain

  3. Where are blood cells made in an adult skeleton?

    • In the bone marrow
    • In the skull only
    • In the muscles
    • In the spinal cord

  4. Which part of the skeleton helps keep the body upright?

    • The fingers
    • The spine
    • The skull
    • The ribcage

  5. How are muscles joined to bones so that movement can happen?

    • Through the bone marrow
    • Through the skull directly
    • Through tendons
    • Through ligaments, which join bones to muscles

  6. Which bones protect the lungs?

    • The skull
    • The pelvis
    • The femur
    • The ribs

  7. A person breaks their leg bone. Which function of the skeleton is most directly affected?

    • Digesting food in the stomach using enzymes from the pancreas
    • Protecting the brain from knocks and damage to the skull bones
    • Making blood cells in the leg through the bone marrow inside the bone
    • Support and movement of the leg

  8. Why does the skeleton give a framework that holds soft tissues in place?

    • Bones digest food into glucose by releasing enzymes into the gut
    • Bones give the body a fixed structure to hold organs and tissues
    • Bones produce hormones that control growth and development in the body
    • Bones pump blood through the body with a rhythmic squeezing action

  9. What is the function of the pelvis?

    • Storing water and minerals for the body during long periods without food
    • Digesting food in the lower body using enzymes from the liver and gut
    • Supporting the lower body and protecting organs in the lower abdomen
    • Pumping blood into the legs through the large arteries of the lower body

  10. Which is the best description of the skeleton's role in movement?

    • Bones act as levers that muscles pull on to move the body
    • Bones contract by themselves to move the body along the ground
    • Bones use energy from food to bend and straighten the joints in the body
    • Bones move independently of muscles and do not need any help to move

  11. How many bones does a typical adult human skeleton contain?

    • About 206
    • About 500
    • About 50
    • About 1000

  12. What is the function of joints in the skeleton?

    • They produce blood cells for the body through the bone marrow inside
    • They allow bones to move against each other
    • They store fat for the body in long periods between meals each day
    • They protect the brain from knocks and damage from outside the skull

  13. A student says that bones store calcium but have no other role. What is the correct response?

    • Bones also support, protect, allow movement and make blood cells
    • Bones only protect the organs of the body from knocks and damage
    • Bones make muscles grow stronger when the body is exercising each day
    • Bones have no other role apart from storing calcium inside the body

  14. Which bones protect the spinal cord?

    • Ribs, which protect the heart and lungs in the upper body
    • Skull, which protects the brain and sense organs in the head
    • Pelvis, which supports the lower body and protects organs there
    • Vertebrae

  15. Why do bones need a blood supply?

    • To supply oxygen and nutrients to living bone tissue
    • To pump the bones so that they can move around the body more easily
    • To make muscle fibres that attach to the bone at the joints of the body
    • To store glucose in the marrow only, away from the rest of the bone

  16. What is the function of cartilage in a joint?

    • It produces red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body
    • It attaches muscles to bones so that the muscles can pull on them
    • It carries nerve signals from the brain to the muscles of the body
    • It reduces friction and cushions the bones

  17. Why do bones need to be strong and hard?

    • To store water and minerals in the body for later use by cells
    • To make the body lighter so that it is easier to move around
    • To digest food in the gut so that nutrients can be absorbed
    • To support the body weight and protect soft organs

  18. Which skeletal function is linked to the production of blood cells?

    • Making blood cells
    • Movement of the limbs
    • Protection of the skull
    • Support of the spine

  19. Which joint allows movement in many directions, like the shoulder?

    • Ball-and-socket joint
    • Hinge joint, which allows movement in only one direction
    • Gliding joint, which lets bones slide over one another
    • Fixed joint, which does not allow any movement between bones

  20. Which statement about bones and muscles is correct?

    • Muscles attach to each other and move bones by pulling them along
    • Muscles attach to bones by tendons and pull to move them
    • Bones attach to muscles by ligaments and push them to move them
    • Tendons join bones together and allow the bones to move at joints

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