The separation of powers refers to:

The concept of separation of powers is fundamental to the structure of the United States government, and it specifically refers to the distribution of responsibilities among the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This framework is designed to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power and ensures a system of checks and balances, where each branch has the ability to limit the powers of the others.

The legislative branch is tasked with making laws, the executive branch is responsible for enforcing those laws, and the judicial branch interprets them. By clearly delineating these roles, the framers of the Constitution sought to create a system where each branch operates independently while also holding the power to check the actions of the other branches, thereby safeguarding against tyranny.

In this way, option B accurately encapsulates the essence of the separation of powers by emphasizing how duties and functions are distributed among these branches, establishing a balance that is essential to the functioning of a democratic government.