What structure lies between the vertebrae?

What structure lies between the vertebrae?

• A. Phalanx
• B. Intervertebral disc
• C. Spinal cord
• D. Ligament

Answer: (B)

Between adjacent vertebrae sits the intervertebral disc, a cushion that allows movement and absorbs shock. This disc has an outer ring called the annulus fibrosus and a soft gel center called the nucleus pulposus, which together distribute load and enable slight bending of the spine. The spinal cord runs through the spinal canal inside the vertebral column, not between the vertebrae themselves, and is protected by the vertebrae. A phalanx is a finger bone, not part of the spine, and ligaments stabilize the spine but do not serve as the space-filling cushion between vertebral bodies.

Between adjacent vertebrae sits the intervertebral disc, a cushion that allows movement and absorbs shock. This disc has an outer ring called the annulus fibrosus and a soft gel center called the nucleus pulposus, which together distribute load and enable slight bending of the spine. The spinal cord runs through the spinal canal inside the vertebral column, not between the vertebrae themselves, and is protected by the vertebrae. A phalanx is a finger bone, not part of the spine, and ligaments stabilize the spine but do not serve as the space-filling cushion between vertebral bodies.