Skip to page content |

Tiscali Quicklinks. Please visit our Accessibility Page for a list of the Access Keys you can use to find your way around the site, skip directly to the main navigation, to the page content, or to more links within reference.

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends

Content Starts Here


thorax

encyclopaedia header
Encyclopaedia Search
Click a letter for the index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Or search the encyclopaedia:
 
 
 
all results tagged with the © symbol denotes content that is relevant to the national curriculum

Thorax


Part of the body in four-limbed vertebrates containing the heart and lungs, and protected by the ribcage. It is separated from the abdomen by the diaphragm. During breathing (ventilation) the volume inside the thorax is changed. This then causes air to move in or out of the air passages that lead to the lungs. The volume of the thorax is altered by the contraction of muscles in the diaphragm and the contraction of muscles between the ribs – the intercostal muscles.

In arthropods, the thorax is the middle part of the body, between the head and abdomen. In insects the thorax bears the legs and wings. The thorax of spiders and crustaceans, such as lobsters, is fused with the head, to form the cephalothorax.

© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.


 
 

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends


Trinidad and Tobago Flag
Trinidad and Tobago Flag Red stands for the warmth of the sun and of the population. Black represents fortitude and wealth. White symbolizes purity, hope, and the waves. Effective date: 31 August 1962. >>

Advertorial

AdvertorialFind out how to buy the things you've always wanted and sell the things you don't on ebay.

Advertisement starts



Advertisement ends

Page Footer


Access keys


You will need to use different key combinations in order to use access keys depending on your internet browser, find out which on our accessibility page.
  • (0) Navigate to Accessibility page.
  • (1) Navigate to Home page.
  • (2) Navigate to My email.
  • (3) Navigate to My Account.
  • (4) Navigate to Site Map page.
  • (5) Navigate to Contact us page.
  • (6) Navigate to Members channel.
  • (7) Navigate to Services channel.
  • (8) Navigate to News & Info channel.
  • (9) Navigate to Entertainment channel.
  • ([) Skip down to the Primary navigation block.
  • (]) Skip down to the more links within this section block.
  • (=) Bypass all navigation and jump to the content.