Which vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs?

Which vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs?

• A. Pulmonary artery
• B. Aorta
• C. Vena cava
• D. Pulmonary vein

Answer: (A)

In pulmonary circulation, the flow of blood to the lungs is driven by the right side of the heart pushing blood into a vessel that carries it to the lungs for gas exchange. This vessel is the pulmonary artery. It leaves the heart from the right ventricle and travels to the lungs, and the blood it carries is deoxygenated at this point. After picking up oxygen in the lungs, the blood returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium, and then passes to the rest of the body via the aorta. By contrast, the aorta moves oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the body, the vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the body back to the right atrium, and the pulmonary veins bring oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart. Therefore, the vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs is the pulmonary artery.

In pulmonary circulation, the flow of blood to the lungs is driven by the right side of the heart pushing blood into a vessel that carries it to the lungs for gas exchange. This vessel is the pulmonary artery. It leaves the heart from the right ventricle and travels to the lungs, and the blood it carries is deoxygenated at this point. After picking up oxygen in the lungs, the blood returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium, and then passes to the rest of the body via the aorta.

By contrast, the aorta moves oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the body, the vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the body back to the right atrium, and the pulmonary veins bring oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart. Therefore, the vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs is the pulmonary artery.