What Makes Our Bones Strong?
What makes our bones strong?Copyright Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skeleton_diagram.svg
Through this activity, students determine what keeps our bones strong. Soaking chicken bones in vinegar removes the calcium, causing them to become soft and rubbery. Students see the connection to aging bones that become depleted of calcium faster than it can be restored. Then they determine what complications can arise from this condition.
Biomedical and mechanical engineers study bones because of their fascinating structural material. Engineers perform many mechanical tests, such as strength and torque tests, and they have found that bone has the ability to adapt to a changing load environment over time and can also recover from failure. One emerging fields of study in biomedical engineering is bone tissue engineering. By applying engineering and biological concepts, substitute materials are being created to perform the functions of human bones.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Determine what inorganic salts are stored in bone.
- Describe what happens to bone as people age, and the complications that may ariset.