Science Secrets · Drawing 27 of 40
Bones and Muscles Work Together
The Human Body
To bend your elbow, a muscle gets shorter and pulls on a bone. The elbow joint lets the arm bend. On this model, find the muscle, the bones and the joint.
Did you know?
Muscles often work in pairs: one pulls to bend the arm, another pulls to straighten it.
Look together
Where does the model arm bend?
An idea to try
Gently bend and straighten your elbow through a comfortable movement. With an adult, compare the positions with the model.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
This model simplifies skeletal muscles, tendons and a joint. Not all muscles move bones; the heart and other organs also contain muscles.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified scene and shapes. Models, imagined comparisons and enlargements do not preserve all real measurements.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Nemours KidsHealth: Your MusclesTendons connect muscles to bones. Muscles can pull on bones but not push them, so they work in pairs: one contracts to bend a joint while the other relaxes, and the reverse straightens it.
Page prepared on October 12, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book Science Secrets to Colour
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