Final answer:
The true statement among the provided options is that the elbow is proximal to the wrist, as it is closer to the body's trunk compared to the wrist.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the true statement among the provided options, one must understand anatomical directional terms:
- Inferior (or caudal) indicates a position that is below another part of the body.
- Lateral refers to the side or toward the side of the body.
- Medial means toward the middle of the body.
- Proximal means closer to the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.
- Anterior (or ventral) describes the front or direction toward the front of the body.
- Posterior (or dorsal) pertains to the back or direction toward the back of the body.
Using these definitions:
- The eyes are lateral to the ears is false because the eyes are medial (closer to the midline) compared to the ears.
- The mouth is on the dorsal side of the body is false because the mouth is actually on the anterior (front) side.
- The elbow is proximal to the wrist is true as the elbow is closer to the point of attachment to the body trunk than the wrist is.
- The chin is medial to the mouth is false because the chin and mouth are essentially on the same medial axis, with neither being lateral to the other.