Tendons and ligaments
Two bands that connect parts of the skeleton.
Joining soft and hard
When you lift a bag, a muscle pulls. But a muscle is soft and a bone is hard, so something must join them.
What do you think joins a muscle to a bone?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Tendons connect muscles to bones, while ligaments connect bones to bones and prevent excessive movement.
Joining soft and hard
When you lift a bag, a muscle pulls. But a muscle is soft and a bone is hard, so something must join them.
What do you think joins a muscle to a bone?
- A strong, flexible band
- Nothing, they just touch
- A watery fluid
Two kinds of bands
Open every tab.
Muscle to bone, bone to bone
A tendon is the band between a muscle and a bone. A ligament is the band between two bones, and it also prevents excessive movement. Both are connective tissues.
Tendons connect muscles to bones, while ligaments connect bones to bones and prevent excessive movement.
Notes
Tendons join muscles to bones. Ligaments join bones to bones and prevent excessive movement.
Check yourself
Which band connects a muscle to a bone?
What does a ligament connect?
A band joins two bones and stops the joint from moving too far. It is a…
- A ligament. A ligament connects one bone to another bone.
- Cartilage. Cartilage has a soft, jelly-like matrix and gives flexibility and cushioning.
- A tendon — correct. Yes!
- One bone to another bone — correct. Yes!
- A muscle to a bone. That is the job of a tendon.
- A muscle to another muscle. Ligaments connect bones. It is tendons that connect muscles to bones.
- tendon. A tendon connects a muscle to a bone.
- ligament — correct. Yes!
- muscle. A muscle is not a band joining bones. It is tendons and ligaments that are connective tissues.