Final answer:
There are 27 bones in one hand, including 8 carpal bones in the wrist, 5 metacarpal bones in the palm, and 14 phalanges in the fingers and thumb.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person has 27 bones in one hand, including the wrist. The wrist consists of eight carpal bones, which make up the base of the hand. These carpal bones are arranged in two rows: a proximal row and a distal row, each containing four bones. Additionally, the hand contains five metacarpal bones that form the palm, while the fingers are made up of 14 phalanges in total. Specifically, each finger has three phalanges (proximal, middle, and distal), except for the thumb, which has two (proximal and distal).
The carpal bones provide the wrist with a range of movements and articulate with the metacarpals to form the carpometacarpal joints. The metacarpal bones are numbered from 1 to 5, starting from the thumb side. These bones articulate with the proximal phalanges to form the metacarpophalangeal joints, often recognized as the knuckles. The phalanges or phalanx bones make up the digits, with each finger having three separate segments, and the thumb having two, which enables the thumb's unique opposable motion, central for grasping and manipulation.