Which plane divides the body into left and right portions?

Which plane divides the body into left and right portions?

• A. Sagittal plane
• B. Frontal plane
• C. Transverse plane
• D. Longitudinal axis

Answer: (A)

Understanding planes of movement helps describe where actions occur on the body. The plane that divides the body into left and right portions is the sagittal plane. It’s a vertical plane running from front to back, parallel to the body’s midline, so it splits the body into left and right halves (a midsagittal plane if it passes exactly through the midline). Movements like bending the knee or flexing the elbow happen in this plane. In contrast, the frontal plane splits the body into front and back, and the transverse plane splits it into upper and lower parts. The longitudinal axis is a direction for rotation, not a plane.

Understanding planes of movement helps describe where actions occur on the body. The plane that divides the body into left and right portions is the sagittal plane. It’s a vertical plane running from front to back, parallel to the body’s midline, so it splits the body into left and right halves (a midsagittal plane if it passes exactly through the midline). Movements like bending the knee or flexing the elbow happen in this plane.

In contrast, the frontal plane splits the body into front and back, and the transverse plane splits it into upper and lower parts. The longitudinal axis is a direction for rotation, not a plane.