You witness a demonstration of a martial arts master breaking a large concrete block with his hand. Besides mastering the technique, what is another benefit of the repetitive practice of breaking concrete?

Question

A.  Repetitive stress on the long bones will solidify cartilage.
B.  The Haversian canal system will supply more blood and strengthen the bone.
C.  The repetitive stress will lead to remodeling and strengthening of the long bones.
D.  The marrow cavity will solidify and strengthen the bone.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?

Gather Content
· What do you know about the effects of stress on bone strength? What other information is related to the question?

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

C.  The repetitive stress will lead to remodeling and strengthening of the long bones.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The question asks about the effects of stress on bone strength.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o You are being asked to apply your knowledge about the effects of stress on bone strength.

Gather Content
· What do you know about the effects of stress on bone strength? What other information is related to the question?
        o Unlike chitin, both cartilage and bone are living tissues. Bone, particularly, can have high metabolic activity especially if bone cells are present throughout the matrix, a common condition. Bone, and to some extent cartilage, can change and remodel itself in response to injury or to physical stresses. Under a mild compressive load the bone does not bend. If the load is large enough, and the bone is not sufficiently thick, the bone will bend. Osteoblasts are signaled by the stresses in the bending section to produce additional bone. As the bone becomes thicker, the degree of bending is reduced.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o As a bone is stressed more bone is made through remodeling, strengthening the bone.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to apply your knowledge about the effects of stress on bone strength. If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you think that the bone marrow in the center of the bone made it stronger? Did you think that cartilage that connects bones makes them stronger?