Which two cavities are separated by the diaphragm?

Which two cavities are separated by the diaphragm?

• A. Cranial and Vertebral cavities
• B. Dorsal and Ventral cavities
• C. Thoracic and Abdominopelvic cavities
• D. Pleural and Pericardial cavities

Answer: (C)

The diaphragm serves as a physical boundary that divides the ventral body cavity into two major spaces: the thoracic cavity above and the abdominopelvic cavity below. This separation creates the thoracic cavity, which contains the lungs and heart, from the abdominopelvic cavity that houses the digestive, urinary, and reproductive organs. The other options mix cavities that are not separated by the diaphragm: the cranial and vertebral cavities are both part of the dorsal cavity, the dorsal and ventral division is a broader grouping, and the pleural and pericardial cavities are subcompartments within the thoracic cavity rather than separated by the diaphragm itself.

The diaphragm serves as a physical boundary that divides the ventral body cavity into two major spaces: the thoracic cavity above and the abdominopelvic cavity below. This separation creates the thoracic cavity, which contains the lungs and heart, from the abdominopelvic cavity that houses the digestive, urinary, and reproductive organs. The other options mix cavities that are not separated by the diaphragm: the cranial and vertebral cavities are both part of the dorsal cavity, the dorsal and ventral division is a broader grouping, and the pleural and pericardial cavities are subcompartments within the thoracic cavity rather than separated by the diaphragm itself.