Human Anatomy Lab 1: Anatomical Terminology & Orientation; Skeleton, Planes, Cavities, Joints, Movements, and Root Words

Vocabulary flashcards covering key anatomical terms related to orientation, planes, cavities, skeletal/joint structure, movement, and essential root words from the lecture notes.

Anatomical Position

A standardized reference posture: person stands erect with feet together, eyes forward, and palms facing forward (thumbs pointed away).

Axial region

Head, neck, and trunk of the body.

Appendicular region

Limbs and their girdles (upper and lower limbs).

Cephalic

Relating to the head.

Frontal

Relating to the forehead; also a bone of the skull (frontal bone).

Cervical

Relating to the neck.

Thoracic

Relating to the thorax or chest.

Abdominal

Relating to the abdomen.

Pelvic

Relating to the pelvis.

Anterior (ventral)

Toward the front of the body; in front of.

Posterior (dorsal)

Toward the back of the body; behind.

Superior (cranial)

Toward the head end or upper part of a structure; above.

Inferior (caudal)

Away from the head end or toward the lower part; below.

Medial

Toward the midline of the body; inner side.

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body; outer side.

Proximal

Closer to the origin of a body part or the point of attachment to the body trunk.

Distal

Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment.

Ipsilateral

On the same side.

Contralateral

On opposite sides.

Frontal (coronal) plane

Vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.

Sagittal plane

Vertical plane that divides the body into right and left parts.

Median (midsagittal) plane

Sagittal plane that runs along the midline.

Parasagittal plane

A sagittal plane offset from the midline.

Transverse plane

Horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts.

Dorsal body cavity

Cranial cavity and vertebral (spinal) cavity.

Ventral body cavity

Thoracic cavity (with pleural and pericardial subdivisions) and the abdominopelvic cavity.

Pleural cavity

The space around each lung, surrounded by pleura.

Pericardial cavity

Cavity around the heart within the mediastinum; lined by the pericardium.

Mediastinum

Central part of the thoracic cavity containing the heart, esophagus, trachea, and other structures.

Peritoneum

Serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and covering abdominal organs; has parietal and visceral layers with a peritoneal cavity containing serous fluid.

Serous membrane

Two-layered membrane (parietal and visceral) that lines cavities and covers organs, with serous fluid between layers.

Parietal serosa

The part of a serous membrane that lines the cavity walls.

Visceral serosa

The part of a serous membrane that covers the organs.

Abdominal quadrants

Four regions of the abdomen: right upper, left upper, right lower, left lower.

Skeleton

System of bones, cartilage, joints, and ligaments; 206 named bones.

Axial skeleton

Skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage.

Appendicular skeleton

Upper and lower limbs and their girdles.

Fibrous joints

Bones bound by fibrous connective tissue; no joint cavity; typically immovable or slightly movable (e.g., sutures, syndesmoses, gomphoses).

Cartilaginous joints

Bones united by cartilage; no joint cavity; includes synchondroses and symphyses.

Synovial joints

Freely movable joints with a joint cavity; all are diarthroses; include plane, hinge, pivot, condylar, saddle, and ball-and-socket types.

Joints (movements) – Gliding

Two bones slide across one another; examples: carpals, tarsals, articular processes of vertebrae.

Flexion

Decrease the angle between bones.

Extension

Increase the angle between bones.

Abduction

Movement away from the midline in the frontal plane.

Adduction

Movement toward the midline in the frontal plane.

Circumduction

Moving a limb in a cone-shaped path; tracing a circle in space.

Rotation

Turning a bone around its long axis; includes medial (internal) and lateral (external) rotation.

Elevation

Lifting a body part superiorly.

Depression

Lowering a body part inferiorly.

Protraction

Forward (anterior) movement of a body part.

Retraction

Backward (posterior) movement of a body part.

Supination

Forearm rotates laterally; palm faces anteriorly.

Pronation

Forearm rotates medially; palm faces posteriorly.

Opposition

Thumb moves across the palm to touch the tips of other fingers.

Inversion

Turning the sole of the foot medially.

Eversion

Turning the sole of the foot laterally.

Dorsiflexion

Raising the dorsum of the foot toward the shin.

Plantarflexion

Bending the foot so the sole points downward; plantar surface moves toward the ground.

Root word: a-/an-

Without.

Root word: ante-

Before.

Root word: append

Hang to; attach.

Root word: ax(i)

Axis.

Root word: brachi

Arm.

Root word: cardi

Heart.

Root word: caud

Tail.

Root word: cephal/crani

Head.

Root word: contra

Against; opposite.

Root word: dors

Back.

Root word: epi-

Above; over.

Root word: -graph

Write.

Root word: infer

Low; underneath.

Root word: infra-

Below.

Root word: ipsi

Same; on the same side.

Root word: later

Side.

Root word: morpho

Form; shape.

Root word: -logy

The study of.

Root word: para

Beside; near.

Root word: pariet

Wall.

Root word: patho/pathy

Disease.

Root word: peri-

Around.

Root word: pleur

Rib; side.

Root word: post

Behind; after.

Root word: sagitt

Arrow (used in sagittal).

Root word: super

Above.

Root word: tom

Cut.

Root word: trans

Across; through.

Root word: ventr/venter

Belly.

Root word: viscero

Organs.