Navigating the Body (Atlas A)

Question 1

Toward the front or belly

Answer 1

Ventral; in humans also called anterior

Question 2

Toward the back or spine

Answer 2

Dorsal; in humans also called posterior

Question 3

Toward the ventral side*

(*This word means: “toward the front,” which is synonymous with ventral in humans.)

Answer 3

Anterior

Question 4

Toward the dorsal side*

(*This word means: “toward the back,” which is synonymous with dorsal in humans.)

Answer 4

Posterior

Question 5

Toward the head, or superior end*

(*In humans, the head is the superior (“above”) end of the body.)

Answer 5

Cephalic

Question 6

Toward the forehead or nose

Answer 6

Rostral

Question 7

Toward the tail, or inferior end*

(*Humans don’t have tails, so on the human body, the inferior/below “end” is the feet.)

Answer 7

Caudal

Question 8

Above

Answer 8

Superior

Question 9

Below

Answer 9

Inferior

Question 10

Toward the median plane*

(*A.k.a. “towards the middle”; Median plane is another word for the mid-sagittal plane, which runs down the center of your body, cutting it into right and left sides.)

Answer 10

Medial

Question 11

Away from the median plane*

(*A.k.a. “away from the middle,” “to the left or the right of,” or “to the side of”; Median plane is another word for the mid-sagittal plane, which runs down the center of your body, cutting it into right and left sides.)

Answer 11

Lateral

Question 12

Closer to the point of attachment or origin*

(*For example: the point of attachment for an arm is the shoulder; for a leg is the hip.)

Answer 12

Proximal

Question 13

Farther from the point of attachment or origin*

(*For example: the point of attachment for an arm is the shoulder; for a leg is the hip.)

Answer 13

Distal

Question 14

On the same side of the body

Answer 14

Ipsilateral

Question 15

On opposite sides of the body

Answer 15

Contralateral

Question 16

Closer to the body surface

Answer 16

Superficial

Question 17

Farther from the body surface

Answer 17

Deep

Question 18

What is the name of this body position:

• The body is standing up, erect
• The arms are hanging to the sides of the body with the palms facing forward and thumbs pointing away from the body
• The feet are facing forward

Answer 18

Anatomical Position

Question 19

Answer 19

A) Sagittal Plane (specifically, Mid-Sagittal or Median)

B) Frontal or Coronal Plane

C) Transverse Plane or Cross Section

Question 20

This body region consists of the head, neck, and trunk.

Answer 20

Axial Region

(Axial Skeleton)

Question 21

This region of the body consists of the appendages (limbs) and their “girdles” which hold them in place:

• Arms + Pectoral girdle (shoulders)
• Legs + Pelvic girdle (hips)

Answer 21

Appendicular region

(Appendicular Skeleton)

Question 22

The trunk of the body is divided into three (or sometimes two) regions, which are…

Answer 22

1. Thorax (chest)
2. Abdomen (tummy)
3. Pelvis (hips)

*There is no physical divider between the abdomen and the pelvis; the textbook lumps them together as one region called the “abdominal region.”

Question 23

The wall or barrier of muscle that divides the thorax from the abdomen is called the…

Answer 23

Diaphragm

Question 24

What organs might be found in the dorsal cavity?

Answer 24

Brain, spinal cord

Question 25

This body cavity includes all the other trunk cavities.

Answer 25

Ventral cavity

Question 26

What are the cavities of the trunk?

Answer 26

• Thoracic cavity
• Abdominal cavity
• Pelvic cavity*

*The textbook lumps the the abdominal and pelvic cavities together into one “abdominopelvic” cavity.

Question 27

Name the cavity:

• Contains pericardial cavity (heart) and pleural cavities (lungs) within it
• Divided in half by the mediastinum
• Surrounded by the ribcage
• The diaphragm makes up the “floor” of this cavity

Answer 27

Thoracic cavity

Question 28

• Divides the thoracic cavity into two sides
• Made up of the trachea and esophagus (a.k.a. throat)

Answer 28

Mediastinum

Question 29

Name the cavity:

• Cavity between the diaphragm and the pelvic cavity
• Bound by abdominal muscles
• Contains the stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, etc.
• Lined by the parietal peritoneum

Answer 29

Abdominal cavity

Question 30

Name the cavity:

• Enclosed by the bones of the pelvis (pelvic girdle)
• Contains the bladder and internal reproductive organs (e.g. ovaries, uterus, prostate)
• The textbook lumps it together with the abdominal cavity, combining them into a single, large “abdominopelvic” cavity
• Lined with the parietal peritoneum, just like the abdominal cavity

Answer 30

Pelvic cavity

Question 31

• A membrane that anchors organs to the “wall” of the body
• Formed out of (an extension of) the parietal peritoneum

Answer 31

Mesentery

Question 32

• Membranes that create a fluid called “serous fluid” for lubrication, to prevent friction from internal body parts rubbing against each other
• These membranes are named based on their location

Answer 32

Serous membranes

Question 33

• The fluid secreted by serous membranes to prevent friction inside the body
• Named based on its location in the body

Answer 33

Serous fluid

Question 34

Name the cavities:

• The thin space between the parietal pleura and the visceral pleura
• There are two of these cavities, one for each lung
• Filled with pleural fluid

Answer 34

Pleural cavities

Question 35

Name the cavity:

• The thin space between the parietal pericardium and the visceral pericardium
• Filled with pericardial fluid

Answer 35

Pericardial cavity

Question 36

Name the cavity:

• The thin space between the parietal peritoneum and the visceral peritoneum
• Filled with peritoneal fluid

Answer 36

Peritoneal cavity

Question 37

• Serous membranes surrounding organs

Answer 37

Visceral membranes

Question 38

• Serous membranes attached to cavity walls, lining the inside of body cavities

Answer 38

Parietal membranes

Question 39

Name the specific serous membranes:

• There are two of these outer membranes, each lines one side of the thoracic cavity
• These membranes are deep to the ribs, but superficial to the visceral pleura
• These membranes are contralateral to each other

Answer 39

Parietal pleura

Question 40

Name the specific serous membranes:

• There are two of these inner membranes, each is wrapped snugly around a lung
• These membranes are deep to the parietal pleura, but superficial to the lungs
• These membranes are contralateral to each other

Answer 40

Visceral pleura

Question 41

Name the specific serous membrane:

• This membrane is superficial to the visceral pericardium
• If you were a surgeon cutting into the heart, this would be the outermost of the two heart membranes

Answer 41

Parietal pericardium

Question 42

Name the specific serous membrane:

• This membrane is wrapped snugly around the heart
• This membrane is superficial to the heart, but deep to the parietal pericardium

Answer 42

Visceral pericardium

Question 43

Name the specific serous membrane:

• This membrane lines both the abdominal and the pelvic cavities (a.k.a. the abdominopelvic cavity)
• This membrane is superficial to the visceral peritoneum
• Part of this membrane forms the mesentery

Answer 43

Parietal peritoneum

Question 44

Name the specific serous membrane:

• This type of membrane surrounds each of the individual abdominal organs
• This type of membrane is deep to the parietal peritoneum

Answer 44

Visceral peritoneum

Question 45

Name the plane:

• Divides the body into right and left sides

Answer 45

Saggital Plane

(Note: It is specifically called the mid-sagittal or median plane if it divides the body into perfect halves, like in the picture)

Question 46

Name the plane:

• Divides the human body into an anterior (front) and posterior (back)

Answer 46

Frontal or Coronal Plane

Question 47

Name the anatomical plane:

• Divides the body horizontally, into superior (above) and inferior (below)

Answer 47

Transverse Plane

(may also be called “Cross Section”)