Which term describes the chest cavity housing the heart and lungs?

Which term describes the chest cavity housing the heart and lungs?

• A. Thoracic cavity
• B. Lungs and heart
• C. Abdominal cavity
• D. Spinal cavity

Answer: (B)

Think about the space in the chest that holds the heart and lungs. That space is the thoracic cavity. It’s part of the ventral body cavity and sits above the diaphragm, with the heart and lungs contained inside it. The phrase “lungs and heart” describes the organs inside the space, not the name of the space itself. The abdominal cavity is where digestive organs live, and the spinal cavity runs within the vertebral column housing the spinal cord. So the correct term is thoracic cavity.

Think about the space in the chest that holds the heart and lungs. That space is the thoracic cavity. It’s part of the ventral body cavity and sits above the diaphragm, with the heart and lungs contained inside it. The phrase “lungs and heart” describes the organs inside the space, not the name of the space itself. The abdominal cavity is where digestive organs live, and the spinal cavity runs within the vertebral column housing the spinal cord. So the correct term is thoracic cavity.