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)

The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right portions. It runs vertically from front to back, so a cut along this plane separates the body into two sides. When the two sides are equal, it’s the mid-sagittal (median) plane; if not, it’s parasagittal. Movements such as bending the elbow or lifting the leg forward occur in this plane (flexion and extension). The frontal plane, by contrast, splits the body into anterior and posterior parts and is linked to side-to-side movements like abduction/adduction. The transverse plane cuts into upper and lower parts and is where rotational movements occur. The longitudinal axis is a direction for rotation, not a plane that divides left and right.

The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right portions. It runs vertically from front to back, so a cut along this plane separates the body into two sides. When the two sides are equal, it’s the mid-sagittal (median) plane; if not, it’s parasagittal. Movements such as bending the elbow or lifting the leg forward occur in this plane (flexion and extension). The frontal plane, by contrast, splits the body into anterior and posterior parts and is linked to side-to-side movements like abduction/adduction. The transverse plane cuts into upper and lower parts and is where rotational movements occur. The longitudinal axis is a direction for rotation, not a plane that divides left and right.