Which term pertains to organs or the covering of an organ?

Which term pertains to organs or the covering of an organ?

• A. Internal
• B. Visceral
• C. External
• D. Parietal

Answer: (B)

Think about terms that describe relation to organs and their coverings. Visceral refers to the viscera—the internal organs—and to the membranes that cover those organs, such as the visceral layer of a serous membrane that directly surrounds an organ. That direct association with the organs and their coverings is precisely what the question is asking about. In contrast, internal and external are general directional terms and don’t specify coverings of organs. Parietal describes the lining of a body cavity (like the parietal peritoneum lining the abdominal cavity), not the organ itself or its direct covering. So the term that best fits “organs or the covering of an organ” is visceral.

Think about terms that describe relation to organs and their coverings. Visceral refers to the viscera—the internal organs—and to the membranes that cover those organs, such as the visceral layer of a serous membrane that directly surrounds an organ. That direct association with the organs and their coverings is precisely what the question is asking about.

In contrast, internal and external are general directional terms and don’t specify coverings of organs. Parietal describes the lining of a body cavity (like the parietal peritoneum lining the abdominal cavity), not the organ itself or its direct covering. So the term that best fits “organs or the covering of an organ” is visceral.