Identifying Intercostal Muscles (Cambridge International IGCSE Biology)

Identifying intercostal muscles: Extended

Spec point — 11.1.6 · Identify in diagrams and images the internal and external intercostal muscles

Extended Tier Only

• Muscles are only able to pull on bones, not push on them
• This means that there must be two sets of intercostal muscles; one to pull the rib cage up and another set to pull it down
• One set of intercostal muscles is found on the outside of the ribcage (the external intercostal muscles)
• The other set is found on the inside of the ribcage (the internal intercostal muscles)

There are two sets of intercostal muscles: the external, on the outside of the ribcage, and the internal, on the inside of the ribcage