Final answer:
The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones, including the skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones. It forms the vertical axis of the body, encompassing the skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage. The skull is made up of 22 bones, plus seven associated bones, including the hyoid bone and ear ossicles within the middle ear. The vertebral column consists of 24 individual vertebrae, along with the sacrum and coccyx. The thoracic cage includes 12 pairs of ribs and the sternum, the flattened bone of the anterior chest.