Major Body Cavities & their subdivisions

Question 1

Dorsal body cavity

Answer 1

The more inferior of the two enclose body cavities that protects the fragile nervous system organs; has two subdivisions, the cranial cavity and the vertebral cavity, which are continuous with each other

Question 2

The cranial cavity

Answer 2

Housed in the skull and encases the brain

Question 3

The vertebral, or spinal, cavity

Answer 3

Runs within the bony vertebral column, and encloses the delicate spinal cord; spinal cord is a continuation of the brain

Question 4

Meninges

Answer 4

The membranes covering both the brain and the spinal cord

Question 5

Ventral body cavity

Answer 5

The more anterior and large of the closed body cavities; houses internal organs collectively called the viscera, or visceral organs; has two major subdivision, the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity

Question 6

The thoracic cavity

Answer 6

The superior subdivision of the ventral cavity that is surrounded by the ribs and muscles of the chest; contains heart and lungs; subdivided into lateral pleural cavities and the medial mediastinum

Question 7

Pleural cavities

Answer 7

A potential space between the two layers of pleura, each containing a lung and a thin film of serous fluid

Question 8

Mediastinum

Answer 8

The medial cavity of the thorax containing the pericardial cavity (the heart, great vessels), thymus, and parts of the trachea, bronchi, and esophagus

Question 9

Pericardial cavity

Answer 9

The cavity containing the heart & great vessels

Question 10

Abdominopelvic cavity

Answer 10

The more inferior cavity of the ventral cavity, separated by the diaphragm, and containing two parts, the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity, not separated by a muscular or membrane wall

Question 11

Abdominal cavity

Answer 11

The superior portion of the abdominopelvic cavity that contains the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs

Question 12

Pelvic cavity

Answer 12

The inferior portion of the abdominopelvic cavity that lies int eh bony pelvis and contains the urinary bladder, some reproductive organs, and the rectum

Question 13

Serosa, or serous membrane

Answer 13

A thin, double-layered membrane that covers the walls of the ventral cavity and the outer surfaces of the organs it contains; named for the specific cavity and organs with which they are associated

Question 14

Parietal serosa

Answer 14

The part of the serous membrane lining the ventral cavity walls

Question 15

Visceral serosa

Answer 15

The part of the serous membrane that folds in on itself and covers the organs in the ventral cavity

Question 16

Serous fluid

Answer 16

the slippery, lubricating fluid that fills the space between the serous membranes; allows the organs to slide without friction across the cavity walls and one another as they carry out their routine functions

Question 17

Parietal & Visceral pericardium

Answer 17

Lines the pericardial cavity and covers the heart

Question 18

The parietal & visceral pleurae

Answer 18

Lines the walls of the thoracic cavity and covers the lungs

Question 19

The parietal and visceral peritoneum

Answer 19

Associated with the walls of the abdominopelvic cavity and covers most of the organs within that cavity

Question 20

Oral and digestive cavities

Answer 20

commonly called the mouth, contains the teeth and tongue; part of and continuous with the cavity of the digestive organs, which opens to the body exterior at the anus

Question 21

Nasal cavity

Answer 21

Located within and posterior to the nose, the nasal cavity is part of the respiratory system passageways

Question 22

Orbital cavities

Answer 22

Also called the orbits, are contained in the skull and house the eyes and present them in an anterior position

Question 23

Middle ear cavities

Answer 23

Lie in the skull and lie just medial to the eardrums; contain tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations to the hearing receptors in the inner ears