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Anatomy & physiology · Practice quiz
Skull anatomy: bones of the skull
The 22 bones of the skull in one table, then a free quiz with every answer explained. Your score is free, no sign-up needed.
- 22 bones in 1 table
- Answers explained
- No sign-up needed
CollegeCompass360 is an independent education resource. We are not a school, a testing company or a government agency.
The answer
The 22 bones of the skull
The skull has 8 cranial bones that form the brain case and 14 facial bones that form the jaws, nose and eye sockets. The hyoid bone and the ear ossicles are counted separately.
| Bone | Group | How many | Where it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontal | Cranial | 1 | Forehead and the top of the eye sockets |
| Parietal | Cranial | 2 | Upper sides and roof of the skull |
| Temporal | Cranial | 2 | Lower sides of the skull, around the ear |
| Occipital | Cranial | 1 | Back and base of the skull |
| Sphenoid | Cranial | 1 | Center of the skull base |
| Ethmoid | Cranial | 1 | Between the eye sockets, behind the nose |
| Maxilla | Facial | 2 | Upper jaw |
| Zygomatic | Facial | 2 | Cheekbones |
| Nasal | Facial | 2 | Bridge of the nose |
| Lacrimal | Facial | 2 | Inner wall of each eye socket |
| Palatine | Facial | 2 | Back of the hard palate |
| Inferior nasal concha | Facial | 2 | Side wall of the nasal cavity |
| Vomer | Facial | 1 | Lower part of the nasal septum |
| Mandible | Facial | 1 | Lower jaw, the only moveable skull bone |
- 8 cranial bones plus 14 facial bones make 22.
- The coronal, sagittal, lambdoid and squamous sutures are immobile joints between skull bones.
- The foramen magnum in the occipital bone is the opening for the spinal cord.
Cranial and facial bones · Question 1 of 10
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How many bones make up the skull, counting the cranial and the facial bones?
Bonus · unlocks with your email
Two more quizzes and a printable answer key
- Landmarks and openings (7 questions): Seven questions on skull landmarks, the palate and the jaw joint.
- Sutures and sinuses (6 questions): Six questions on the sutures between skull bones and the paranasal sinuses.
- A printable answer key for all 23 questions. Only the key prints.
More free study tools
More anatomy study tools
Sources
Where the facts come from
Every fact is reworded from this page. This is an educational study tool and is not a school.
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, The Skull
Cranial and facial bones, landmarks, sutures and sinuses
Questions
Common questions
Yes. The 10 questions and your score are free and need no sign-up. An email unlocks two more sets and a printable answer key.
The skull has 22 bones: 8 cranial bones that form the brain case and 14 facial bones. The hyoid bone and the ear ossicles are counted separately.
The mandible, or lower jaw, is the only moveable bone of the skull. It meets the temporal bone at the temporomandibular joint.
No. It is a study tool about how the skull bones are arranged and named. It takes no personal details and gives no medical advice.
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