What structure is responsible for housing the lungs?

The correct answer is the thoracic cavity. This cavity is the essential structure that houses the lungs, as well as the heart and other vital organs. It is located within the rib cage and made up of the sternum, ribs, and thoracic vertebrae, which provide protection and support.

The thoracic cavity contains the pleural cavities, which are the specific spaces that surround each lung. While the pleural cavity is directly involved with the lungs by facilitating pleural fluid to reduce friction during respiration, it is actually the thoracic cavity that encompasses and houses them within a larger space.

The pericardial cavity refers specifically to the area surrounding the heart, and the mediastinum is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity that contains the heart, trachea, and esophagus, among other structures. While both of these are components of the thoracic cavity, they do not serve the function of housing the lungs in the same way the thoracic cavity does.