Which term describes a basinlike depression on a bone that often forms part of a joint surface?

Which term describes a basinlike depression on a bone that often forms part of a joint surface?

• A. Notch
• B. Meatus
• C. Sinus
• D. Fossa

Answer: (D)

A fossa is a shallow, basinlike depression on a bone that often serves as a smooth surface for another bone to form a joint. This makes it the best description for where a joint sits or articulates, such as the glenoid fossa in the shoulder blade that forms the socket for the humerus, or the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone that contributes to the jaw joint. The other terms describe different bone surfaces: a notch is an edge indentation along a border, a meatus is a canal or passageway through the bone, and a sinus is a hollow, often air-filled cavity within a bone.

A fossa is a shallow, basinlike depression on a bone that often serves as a smooth surface for another bone to form a joint. This makes it the best description for where a joint sits or articulates, such as the glenoid fossa in the shoulder blade that forms the socket for the humerus, or the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone that contributes to the jaw joint. The other terms describe different bone surfaces: a notch is an edge indentation along a border, a meatus is a canal or passageway through the bone, and a sinus is a hollow, often air-filled cavity within a bone.