Which amount represents the total bleeding from a typical adult chest cavity across both sides?

• A. 3000 milliliters
• B. 1500 milliliters
• C. 6000 milliliters
• D. 1000 milliliters

Answer: (A)

Understanding how much blood the chest can hold helps gauge the severity of a hemothorax. Each side of the chest can hold roughly 1.5 liters of blood, so the total across both sides is about 3 liters. That makes 3000 milliliters the best answer. A single side holding 1500 mL would miss the total across both sides, while 6000 mL would exceed the combined capacity, and 1000 mL is far below the typical total.