Module 01 — Basics of Anatomy and Physiology · quiz worth 18 pts · 2026-08-11
Directional words feel inconsistent only when the viewpoint changes. Anatomy prevents that by using one fixed reference.
Facing forward, arms at the sides, palms forward, thumbs outward. Use the patient's left and right.
Ask which one is nearer the head, midline, surface, or limb attachment. That gives superior, medial, superficial, or proximal.
Right-left is sagittal. Top-bottom is transverse. Front-back is frontal.
The wrist is farther from the shoulder than the elbow. Which word fits?
The wrist is distal to the elbow.
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Axial refers to the head, neck, and trunk along the body's central axis. Appendicular refers to the upper and lower limbs attached to that axis. Health professionals use the distinction to describe an injury or treatment area precisely.
The reference position faces forward with arms at the sides, palms forward, and thumbs pointing outward. Direction is always stated from the patient's viewpoint, even when the patient turns. Supine means lying face up, prone face down, and lateral lying on the side.
Anterior/ventral is toward the front; posterior/dorsal toward the back. Superior is toward the top; inferior toward the bottom. Medial is toward the midline; lateral toward the side. Superficial is near the surface; deep is farther inside. Proximal is closer to a limb's origin; distal is farther away.
A sagittal plane divides right and left portions. A transverse plane runs horizontally and divides superior from inferior. A frontal, or coronal, plane divides anterior from posterior. The portions do not have to be equal.
Use the labeled portions, not the apparent camera angle.
The dorsal cavity contains the cranial cavity with the brain and the spinal cavity with the spinal cord. The ventral cavity contains the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities. The thoracic cavity includes the pleural cavities around the lungs and the pericardial cavity around the heart. The abdominal cavity contains organs including intestines and kidneys; the pelvic cavity contains urinary, reproductive, and lower digestive structures.
Start with the two large groups, then move one level inward.
Cranial contains the brain. Spinal contains the spinal cord.
Thoracic contains heart and lungs. Abdominopelvic contains abdominal and pelvic organs.
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Use anatomical position every time, then compare the two named structures.
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