Final answer:
There are three types of ribs: true ribs, false ribs, and floating ribs. True ribs are directly attached to the sternum, false ribs are attached to the ribs above them, and floating ribs are not attached to the sternum at all.
Step-by-step explanation:
True ribs: The top seven pairs of ribs are called true ribs. They are attached by cartilage directly to the sternum. There are 14 true ribs in total, with each rib attaching to the sternum individually.
False ribs: The next three pairs of ribs are called false ribs. They are attached by cartilage to the ribs above them, rather than directly to the sternum. There are 6 false ribs in total, with ribs 8-10 attaching to the cartilage of the rib above.
Floating ribs: The lowest two pairs of ribs are called floating ribs. They are attached by cartilage to muscles in the abdominal wall and do not attach to the sternum at all. There are 2 floating ribs in total, ribs 11 and 12.