Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2015 October 31

= October 31 =

What is the difference between vertebral arch / lamina / pedicle? (anatomy)
I have read many anatomy books, and also the article here (vertebra) and I am still confused and don't understand what the difference is. 78.111.186.78 (talk) 13:13, 31 October 2015 (UTC)
 * The picture to the right, from the Wikipedia article vertebra, should make it a bit clearer. The vertebra consists of two parts: the body (the big heavy semicircular chunk of bone at the top of the picture) and the arch (all the rest of it, with the little pointy bits all over it).  The two main connecting parts of the arch are the pedicle (which connects the arch to the body, there are two of them) and the lamina (which connects all the pointy bits to each other).  The space enclosed by the body, the two pedicles, and the lamina are the 4 sides of the spinal canal.  -- Jayron 32 14:10, 31 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks. So when I see in professional books anterior and posterior arch is replace (or instead of) the names Lamina and Pedicle? (By the way, forr your method there are 5 sides of the spinal canal. 1th is the body, 2nd+3rd are the pedicle, 4th+5th are the laminae) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.111.186.78 (talk) 15:35, 31 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Yeah, that works too. -- Jayron 32 18:42, 31 October 2015 (UTC)


 * If it helps you make sense of the term, "pedicel" basically is just a technical term for thin stemlike things, and is used in lots of places (with slightly variable spelling), e.g. Pedicel_(botany). SemanticMantis (talk) 16:37, 31 October 2015 (UTC)

Jasper conglomerate
What are the uses of Jasper conglomerate? Is it useful to humans? --Doeskmaesk (talk) 19:20, 31 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Some conglomerates are used as building stones, and I imagine that the clasts of jasper would be attractive, but there are often issues with cutting such rocks, as the matrix is often softer than the clasts, making it difficult to get a good flat surface. Apart from that I have no idea how it might be used. Mikenorton (talk) 21:20, 31 October 2015 (UTC)


 * I imagine attractive pieces could be used as paperweights, doorstops, or bookends. Grinding rather than cutting might be the best way to shape it.  (You might think it could be used as concrete, but the cost and inability to pour it into molds would make this use unlikely.) StuRat (talk) 00:35, 1 November 2015 (UTC)


 * I've not seen Jasper conglomerate myself, but a similar stone, known as Roxbury Puddingstone has been used as a building material in the Boston, Massachusetts area for centuries. -- Jayron 32 01:08, 1 November 2015 (UTC)