Final answer:
The correct answers that are components of the bone matrix are a. minerals and c. collagen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The components that make up the bone matrix are primarily minerals and collagen fibers. Minerals, such as calcium phosphate, provide rigidity and strength to bones, making them hard and allowing them to support the body's structures. Collagen, on the other hand, is a protein that contributes to the flexibility and toughness of bones, providing a framework that supports the deposition of minerals. The combination of these elements allows bones to be durable, yet sufficiently flexible to avoid brittleness.
Options like epiphysis and blood vessels, while essential to bone structure and function, are not components of the bone matrix itself. The epiphysis refers to the ends of long bones where growth occurs, and blood vessels are part of the living tissues within bones that provide nutrients and oxygen but are not a direct component of the rigid matrix structure.