The number of bones in a newborn exceeds the number of bones in an adult. Why would the number of bones decrease over time?
A) Some bones are lost when they are replaced by adult versions, like the loss of baby teeth.
B) As some bones grow larger, others do not and are no longer needed.
C) The bones of a baby are more fragile than an adult, so more are needed to support the weight of the body.
D) Some of the bones of babies will eventually fuse together to become one larger bone.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Many of the bones in a baby's body are still in separate pieces, called ossification centers, and have not yet fused together. Over time, these ossification centers will fuse, resulting in the number of bones decreasing as multiple bones become one larger bone.

The Number of Bones in a Newborn Exceeds the Number