SKULL PHYSIOLOGY AND
FRACTURE TYPES QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS 2025 EDITION
Part 1: Skull Anatomy and Physiology (Questions 1-50)
Question 1
What are the two main divisions of the skull?
A) Cranial vault and facial skeleton
B) Neurocranium and viscerocranium
C) Calvaria and base of skull
D) Both A and B
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: D) Both A and B
Rationale: The skull is divided anatomically into the neurocranium (cranial vault/brain case)
which encloses the brain, and the viscerocranium (facial skeleton) which forms the face. Both
terminologies are correct and used interchangeably in clinical practice .
,Question 2
How many bones comprise the adult skull?
A) 22
B) 28
C) 32
D) 14
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: A) 22
Rationale: The adult skull consists of 22 bones: 8 cranial bones (neurocranium) and 14 facial
bones (viscerocranium). The cranial bones include the frontal (1), parietal (2), temporal (2),
occipital (1), sphenoid (1), and ethmoid (1). The facial bones include the mandible (1), maxillae
(2), zygomatic (2), nasal (2), lacrimal (2), palatine (2), inferior nasal conchae (2), and vomer (1) .
Question 3
Which cranial bone forms the forehead and the superior part of the orbits?
A) Parietal bone
B) Occipital bone
C) Frontal bone
D) Sphenoid bone
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Frontal bone
Rationale: The frontal bone forms the forehead, the roof of the orbits, and the anterior cranial
fossa. It contains the frontal sinuses and articulates with the parietal bones at the coronal suture
.
,Question 4
Which suture separates the frontal bone from the parietal bones?
A) Sagittal suture
B) Lambdoid suture
C) Coronal suture
D) Squamosal suture
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Coronal suture
Rationale: The coronal suture runs transversely across the skull, separating the frontal bone
anteriorly from the two parietal bones posteriorly .
Question 5
Which suture separates the parietal bones from the occipital bone?
A) Coronal suture
B) Sagittal suture
C) Lambdoid suture
D) Squamosal suture
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Lambdoid suture
Rationale: The lambdoid suture is located at the posterior aspect of the skull, separating the
occipital bone from the parietal bones. Its shape resembles the Greek letter lambda (Λ) .
, Question 6
What is the anatomical location of the pterion?
A) Junction of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones
B) Anterior fontanelle location in infants
C) Posterior junction of the occipital and temporal bones
D) Inferior aspect of the temporal bone
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: A) Junction of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones
Rationale: The pterion is an H-shaped suture junction where the frontal, parietal, temporal, and
sphenoid bones meet. It is clinically significant because it overlies the middle meningeal artery; a
fracture here can cause epidural hematoma .
Question 7
Which bone contains the foramen magnum?
A) Frontal bone
B) Temporal bone
C) Occipital bone
D) Sphenoid bone
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Occipital bone
Rationale: The occipital bone contains the foramen magnum, the large opening through which
the spinal cord passes from the cranial cavity to the vertebral canal. The occipital condyles on
either side articulate with the atlas (C1) .
FRACTURE TYPES QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS 2025 EDITION
Part 1: Skull Anatomy and Physiology (Questions 1-50)
Question 1
What are the two main divisions of the skull?
A) Cranial vault and facial skeleton
B) Neurocranium and viscerocranium
C) Calvaria and base of skull
D) Both A and B
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: D) Both A and B
Rationale: The skull is divided anatomically into the neurocranium (cranial vault/brain case)
which encloses the brain, and the viscerocranium (facial skeleton) which forms the face. Both
terminologies are correct and used interchangeably in clinical practice .
,Question 2
How many bones comprise the adult skull?
A) 22
B) 28
C) 32
D) 14
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: A) 22
Rationale: The adult skull consists of 22 bones: 8 cranial bones (neurocranium) and 14 facial
bones (viscerocranium). The cranial bones include the frontal (1), parietal (2), temporal (2),
occipital (1), sphenoid (1), and ethmoid (1). The facial bones include the mandible (1), maxillae
(2), zygomatic (2), nasal (2), lacrimal (2), palatine (2), inferior nasal conchae (2), and vomer (1) .
Question 3
Which cranial bone forms the forehead and the superior part of the orbits?
A) Parietal bone
B) Occipital bone
C) Frontal bone
D) Sphenoid bone
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Frontal bone
Rationale: The frontal bone forms the forehead, the roof of the orbits, and the anterior cranial
fossa. It contains the frontal sinuses and articulates with the parietal bones at the coronal suture
.
,Question 4
Which suture separates the frontal bone from the parietal bones?
A) Sagittal suture
B) Lambdoid suture
C) Coronal suture
D) Squamosal suture
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Coronal suture
Rationale: The coronal suture runs transversely across the skull, separating the frontal bone
anteriorly from the two parietal bones posteriorly .
Question 5
Which suture separates the parietal bones from the occipital bone?
A) Coronal suture
B) Sagittal suture
C) Lambdoid suture
D) Squamosal suture
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Lambdoid suture
Rationale: The lambdoid suture is located at the posterior aspect of the skull, separating the
occipital bone from the parietal bones. Its shape resembles the Greek letter lambda (Λ) .
, Question 6
What is the anatomical location of the pterion?
A) Junction of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones
B) Anterior fontanelle location in infants
C) Posterior junction of the occipital and temporal bones
D) Inferior aspect of the temporal bone
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: A) Junction of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones
Rationale: The pterion is an H-shaped suture junction where the frontal, parietal, temporal, and
sphenoid bones meet. It is clinically significant because it overlies the middle meningeal artery; a
fracture here can cause epidural hematoma .
Question 7
Which bone contains the foramen magnum?
A) Frontal bone
B) Temporal bone
C) Occipital bone
D) Sphenoid bone
✔✔✔ANSW✔✔: C) Occipital bone
Rationale: The occipital bone contains the foramen magnum, the large opening through which
the spinal cord passes from the cranial cavity to the vertebral canal. The occipital condyles on
either side articulate with the atlas (C1) .
