MDCAT Biology chapter 9: Biology · Support and movement MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
30 exam-style questions on Biology · Support and movement, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
Ten Biology · Support and movement questions with answers
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. The synovial fluid inside a freely movable joint mainly
A
lubricates the joint, reducing friction between the cartilages
B
binds the bones of the joint tightly together, as a ligament does
C
lays down new bone at the ends of the two articulating bones
D
attaches the tendons of the muscles firmly to the bones
Show answer
Answer: A. Synovial fluid, secreted by the synovial membrane, lubricates and nourishes the articular cartilages. Ligaments hold the bones together and tendons attach muscles to bones.
2. An adult vertebral column has 24 separate (unfused) vertebrae above the sacrum. Which regions together make up these 24 vertebrae?
A
thoracic, lumbar and sacral
B
cervical, thoracic and coccygeal
C
cervical, lumbar and sacral
D
cervical, thoracic and lumbar
Show answer
Answer: D. 7 cervical + 12 thoracic + 5 lumbar = 24 movable vertebrae. The 5 sacral vertebrae fuse into the sacrum and the coccygeal vertebrae fuse into the coccyx, so neither region has separate vertebrae in an adult.
3. The biceps is attached at its upper end to the scapula, which stays fixed, and at its lower end to the radius, which moves when the elbow bends. These two attachments are, respectively, its
A
origin and insertion
B
insertion and origin
C
origin and belly
D
belly and insertion
Show answer
Answer: A. The origin is the attachment to the bone that stays fixed and the insertion is the attachment to the bone that moves; the thick, fleshy middle part between them is the belly. When the biceps contracts it pulls the radius towards the scapula, bending the arm.
4. In rheumatoid arthritis the joints are damaged because
A
the immune system attacks and inflames the synovial membrane
B
uric acid crystals are deposited in the joint cavity
C
the articular cartilage gradually wears away with age and heavy use
D
calcium is lost from the bones so that they become porous
Show answer
Answer: A. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease: the synovial membrane becomes inflamed and thickened, and the cartilage and bone are then eroded. Wear of cartilage with age is osteoarthritis, and uric acid crystals cause gout.
5. According to the sliding filament model, when a skeletal muscle fibre contracts
A
actin and myosin filaments both fold and become shorter
B
myosin filaments slide outwards towards the Z lines
C
actin filaments slide inwards over the myosin filaments
D
the A band shortens but the I band keeps its length
Show answer
Answer: C. Myosin heads pull the thin actin filaments towards the centre of the sarcomere, so the Z lines come closer. Neither kind of filament changes length: the I band and H zone shorten while the A band stays the same.
6. How many bones make up the axial skeleton of an adult human?
A
80
B
126
C
206
D
64
Show answer
Answer: A. The axial skeleton (skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum) has 80 bones; the appendicular skeleton (girdles and limbs) has 126, making 206 in all.
7. The network of membranes inside a skeletal muscle fibre that stores calcium ions and releases them when the fibre is stimulated is the
A
sarcoplasmic reticulum
B
sarcolemma
C
T (transverse) tubule system
D
inner mitochondrial membrane
Show answer
Answer: A. The sarcoplasmic reticulum, a modified smooth endoplasmic reticulum around each myofibril, releases Ca2+ when an impulse arrives. The T tubules carry the impulse from the sarcolemma deep into the fibre but do not store calcium.
8. Osteoporosis is especially common in women after the menopause. The main reason is that
A
rising oestrogen levels speed up the laying down of new bone
B
uric acid crystals collect in the bones after the menopause
C
falling oestrogen lets bone be lost faster than it is formed
D
the articular cartilage of the joints is replaced by bone
Show answer
Answer: C. Oestrogen helps to maintain bone mass. After the menopause its level falls, bone is broken down faster than it is formed, and the bones become porous and brittle; lack of calcium, vitamin D and exercise add to the risk.
9. Which sequence runs from the largest to the smallest structure in a skeletal muscle?
Answer: C. A muscle is made of bundles of muscle fibres; each fibre (one cell) is packed with myofibrils, and each myofibril is made of actin and myosin myofilaments.
10. The pinna of the external ear keeps its shape but springs back after being bent. The cartilage that supports it is rich in
A
collagen fibres packed in thick parallel bundles
B
calcium phosphate crystals laid down in the matrix
C
blood capillaries running between the chondrocytes
D
elastic fibres running through the matrix
Show answer
Answer: D. The pinna and the epiglottis are supported by elastic cartilage, whose matrix holds a network of elastic (yellow) fibres. Thick collagen bundles are typical of fibrocartilage, and cartilage has no blood vessels.
Biology · Support and movement: questions students ask
How many Biology · Support and movement MCQs are there?
30, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 2 topics: Skeleton and joints, Muscles and contraction. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the MDCAT Biology chapter 9 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
