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Bone Structure Investigation

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Bone Structure Investigation

How can a bone be strong without being solid all the way through? In this investigation, you will use paper tubes as models to compare how structure affects strength. Paper is not bone, so use the results to make a careful model-based inference—not a claim about actual bone strength. Work safely: do not stand on the tubes or use heavy objects.

Plan the model test

Make two paper tubes from equal-sized sheets of paper: one tightly rolled into a solid rod, and one rolled around a pencil, then remove the pencil to leave a hollow centre. Stand each tube upright between two flat books. Add identical small objects one at a time to the top book until the tube bends or collapses. Record the number of objects. Repeat each test three times, using the same paper, tube height, and objects each time. The number of objects is a simple measure of the model's compressive strength.

Model

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Hollow paper tube

Solid paper rod

Analyse the evidence

Use the example results table where relevant. Give reasons for your conclusions and remember that a paper model cannot reproduce every feature of living bone.

1.Which bone tissue forms the dense outer wall of a long bone?

Compact bone
Spongy bone
Marrow
Cartilage

2.Calculate the mean number of objects supported by the hollow paper tube across its three trials. Show your calculation.

3.Calculate the mean number of objects supported by the solid paper rod across its three trials. Show your calculation.

4.Which paper model supported more objects on average, and by how many objects?

5.The hollow tube results are 8, 9, and 7 objects. What feature of this set makes repeating the test useful?

The results vary, so repeats help show whether the outcome is consistent.
The results prove that every hollow structure is stronger than every solid structure.
The results mean the tube height changed each time.
Repeating makes the paper behave exactly like bone.

6.Name one variable that should be kept the same in every trial, and explain why.

7.True or false: The example results prove that human bones with a marrow cavity are always stronger than bones without one.

TrueFalse

8.Complete the sentence: The porous, honeycomb-like tissue found inside the ends of many long bones is called bone.

9.Explain how the paper-tube test could model one idea about bone structure. Include one limitation of the model.

10.Match each bone structure to its description.

Compact bone
Spongy bone
Bone marrow

Soft tissue inside bone; some marrow produces blood cells
Dense outer tissue that helps resist forces
Porous internal tissue with a lightweight framework

11.Suggest one improvement that would make a follow-up paper-tube test more reliable, and say how it would help.

12.Bones also support the body, protect organs, store minerals such as calcium, and help produce blood cells. Choose one of these functions and explain how it contributes to a person's hauora (wellbeing).