Answer: Two pairs.
- A Five pairs
- B Seven pairs
- C Two pairs
- D Twelve pairs
Correct answer: C. Two pairs
Explanation: The last two pairs (11th and 12th) are floating ribs, attached only to the vertebrae and not to the sternum.

A sarcomere (Z line to Z line): during contraction the I band and H zone shorten as thin filaments slide over thick, while the A band stays the same length. Image: SlothMcCarty, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Concept context
Types of movement, muscle contraction, skeletal system, joints, and disorders. Important for Class 11 and NEET.