Question

When considering spinal nerves, how many pairs of nerves are involved?

a) 8 pairs of nerves
b) 12 pairs of nerves
c) 5 pairs of nerves
d) 1 pair of nerves

Answer 1

There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, which are part of the somatic nervous system and connect to the spinal cord.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering spinal nerves, there are a total of 31 pairs of nerves involved. These include: eight pairs of cervical nerves (C1 to C8), twelve pairs of thoracic nerves (T1 to T12), five pairs of lumbar nerves (L1 to L5), five pairs of sacral nerves (S1 to S5), and one pair of coccygeal nerves. Each pair of spinal nerves is connected to the spinal cord and emerges from the vertebral column through the intervertebral foramen at each respective level. The spinal nerves are part of the somatic nervous system and consist of both sensory and motor axons, which separate into dorsal and ventral nerve roots.