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Health and The Human Body 
Let's learn about Health and The Human Body!
There are many parts in the human body such as organs, glands, muscles, bones and tissues. There are over 50 trillion cells in the human body. Two-thirds of the human body is made of water. The human body has more red blood cells than any other kinds of cell. There are hundreds of different types of cells in the body.
There are several organ systems in the human body such as: skeletal, muscular, nervous system, circulatory system, endocrine system, respiratory system, digestive and urinary systems, and the reproductive system.
The human body has about 206 bones which are important because they support the soft parts of the body and protect our vital organs. Bones make up about 12 percent of your body weight. The smallest bone is in the middle ear called the stirrup, which is about 1/8 inch long and the largest bone is the thighbone (femur). Bones are strong because they contain calcium phosphate. The bones that make up the spine are called vertebrae. There are 33 of them that are linked and run from the neck to the lower back.
The body has more than 100 joints which are places in the body where bones meet. Joints are what allow you to move.
The four main types of joints are: Ball and Socket Joints - found at the hip and shoulder.
Hinge Joints - allow movement in only one direction such as those found at the knee and elbow.
Suture Joints - join together bones in the skull and pelvis.
Swivel Joints - found between the vertebrae in the spine.
The body has about 650 muscles and there are three main types called the skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles. The skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles which means we control them by our thoughts. The other types of muscles are involuntary and work automatically. The strongest muscle in the body is the masseter and you have one on each side of your mouth. The largest muscle is called the gluteus maximus which is the muscle the goes from the buttock to the back of the thigh. Exercise is important because it helps strengthen muscles.
The blood in our body is made of a liquid called plamsa which contains red and white blood cells and also cell fragments that are called platelets. Blood is important in our body because it carries needed material throughout the body and removes waste products. It also helps to deliver hormones and protects us from germs by closing cuts with clotted blood. The red blood cells deliver oxygen in our body. The white blood cells protect us from disease.
Skin is the largest organ of the human body and accounts for about 15 percent of your total body weight. The skin protects the body from injury and provides the first line of defense against disease causing microbes. It also helps to regulate body temperature and keeps the body from drying out through evaporation. Skin is made of three layers: the outer epidermis, a lower dermis and a layer of subcutaneous tissue.
FACTS
The brain has over 10 billion nerve cells.
A person will blink on an average of about 6 times a minute.
Your tongue has about 10,000 tastebuds.
There are 4 types of blood groups: A, B, AB and O.
The average human scalp has about 100,000 hairs.
It takes approximately 12 hours for food to entirely digest.
A fingernail or toenail takes about 6 months to grow from the base to tip.
Related Information & Links
Atlas of the Body
The Virtual Body
Health Topics from A - Z from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention
Kids Health - KidsHealth is the largest and most visited site on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence.
Emergency & First Aid - Find out what to do in an emergency. A great link to bookmark. FAQ's
Where can I learn about the skeletal system?
Where can I learn about the muscular system?
Where can I learn about the brain & spinal cord?
Where can I learn about the endocrine system?
Where can I learn about the digestive system? |