Final answer:
c) The Mines and Collieries Act of 1842, enforced by the British government. The Mines and Collieries Act of 1842, enforced by the British government, prevented women and children from working underground in mines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The act that prevented women and children from working underground is c) The Mines and Collieries Act of 1842, which was enforced by the British government.
This act banned the employment of girls and women, as well as boys under 10, from working underground in mines. It was enacted out of concern for the safety and well-being of women and children in the industrial workplace.
By prohibiting their employment underground, the act aimed to protect them from the hazardous working conditions and sexual impropriety that often occurred in these settings.