The heart is _____ to the lungs. A. medial B. proximal

The heart is _____ to the lungs.

A. medial

B. proximal

C. lateral

D. dorsal

E. distal

F. inferior

Answer: C. lateral

From an anatomical point of view, it is located on the side of the lungs, or to be more specific, on their lateral sides. This means that the heart is located somewhat in the centre of the lungs, it is between the lungs. The prefix “lateral” means that something is located off to the side, or at a greater distance from the centre line of the body. In the thoracic cavity there are the lungs on the left and right sides of the cavity and in the middle, slightly left, is the heart. Regarding the chest wall of either lung, the heart lies towards the centre of it or is said to be medial to the lung. When the direction is applied concerning a pair of lungs then it is lateral because the heart remains located to the side of the central longitudinal axis of the lungs. This positioning of the organs side by side enables the normal functioning of the cardiorespiratory systems within the limited compart mentality of the thoracic cavity.