How many cervical vertebrae are there?

How many cervical vertebrae are there?

• A. 5
• B. 7
• C. 12
• D. 14

Answer: (B)

In the human spine, the neck region contains seven vertebrae. These are labeled C1 through C7 and make up the cervical section. The rest of the spine has twelve thoracic vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae, with the sacrum and coccyx fused. So for the question asking how many cervical vertebrae exist, the standard count is seven. (Note that C1 and C2, known as the atlas and axis, have specialized functions for head movement, but they are still part of the seven.)

In the human spine, the neck region contains seven vertebrae. These are labeled C1 through C7 and make up the cervical section. The rest of the spine has twelve thoracic vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae, with the sacrum and coccyx fused. So for the question asking how many cervical vertebrae exist, the standard count is seven. (Note that C1 and C2, known as the atlas and axis, have specialized functions for head movement, but they are still part of the seven.)