Hand | Definition, Anatomy, Bones, Diagram, & Facts | Britannica

Home » How Many Bones In A Human Hand » Hand | Definition, Anatomy, Bones, Diagram, & Facts | Britannica

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External Websites
  • Teach Me Anatomy - Muscles of the Hand
  • Frontiers - Frontiers in Neurorobotics - A Systematic Analysis of Hand Movement Functionality: Qualitative Classification and Quantitative Investigation of Hand Grasp Behavior
  • Medscape - Hand Anatomy
  • BCcampus Open Publishing - Advanced Anatomy 2nd. Ed. - The Hand
  • WebMD - Hand and Wrist: What to Know
  • Cleveland Clinic - Anatomy of the Hand and Wrist
  • National Center for Biotechnology Information - How do hands work?
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bones of the human hand
bones of the human hand Bones of the hand, showing the carpal bones (wrist bones), metacarpal bones (bones of the hand proper), and phalanges (finger bones). (more)
hand anatomy Ask Anything Homework Help Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Dec. 24, 2025 •History Britannica AI Icon Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

hand, grasping organ at the end of the forelimb of certain vertebrates that exhibits great mobility and flexibility in the digits and in the whole organ. It is made up of the wrist joint, the carpal bones, the metacarpal bones, and the phalanges. The digits include a medial thumb (when viewed with the palm down), containing two phalanges, and four fingers, each containing three phalanges.

power and precision grips
power and precision gripsA fully opposable thumb gives the human hand its unique power grip (left) and precision grip (right).(more)

The major function of the hand in all vertebrates except human beings is locomotion; bipedal locomotion in humans frees the hands for a largely manipulative function. In primates the tips of the fingers are covered by fingernails—a specialization that improves manipulation. The palms and undersides of the fingers are marked by creases and covered by ridges called palm prints and fingerprints, which function to improve tactile sensitivity and grip. The friction ridges are arranged in general patterns that are peculiar to each species but that differ in detail. No two individuals are alike, and in humans the patterns are used for identification. The thumb is usually set at an angle distinct from the other digits; in humans and the great apes it rotates at the carpometacarpal joint, and it is therefore opposable to the other fingers and may be used in combination with them to pick up small objects.

Related Topics: fingerprint thumb finger finger flexor tendon palm print (Show more) See all related content
white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys)
white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys)White-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) are native to Southeast Asia.(more)

Among the apes and some New World monkeys, the hand is specialized for brachiation—hand-over-hand swinging through the trees. Digits two to five are elongated and used in clasping tree limbs; the thumb is reduced and little used in swinging. Terrestrial monkeys, such as the baboon, do not have reduced thumbs and can carry out precise movements with fingers and opposing thumb. The development of dexterity in the hands and increase in brain size are believed to have occurred together in the evolution of humans.

Superficial arteries and veins of face and scalp, cardiovascular system, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC) Britannica Quiz The Human Body The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Michele Metych.

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