Blood leaves the right ventricle through the pulmonary __ where it enters the lungs
lung
artery
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: Artery
Explanation (300 words):
Blood leaves the right ventricle of the heart through the pulmonary artery, not the lungs. The pulmonary artery is a major blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.
Here’s how it works in the circulatory system:
The heart has four chambers — two atria (upper chambers) and two ventricles (lower chambers). Blood that has circulated through the body returns to the heart low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide. This deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium, flows into the right ventricle, and is then pumped into the pulmonary artery during ventricular contraction.
The pulmonary artery is unique because it is the only artery in the body that carries deoxygenated blood. Arteries typically carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart, but the pulmonary artery is an exception. It splits into the left and right pulmonary arteries, each leading to the corresponding lung.
Once in the lungs, the blood flows through smaller vessels and exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen in the tiny air sacs called alveoli. The now oxygenated blood then returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins, entering the left atrium, and later moves into the left ventricle to be pumped out to the rest of the body through the aorta.
In summary, the correct structure through which blood leaves the right ventricle and enters the lungs is the pulmonary artery — not the lungs themselves. This artery plays a critical role in pulmonary circulation, helping to ensure that blood is properly oxygenated before being circulated to the rest of the body. Therefore, the correct sentence is:
“Blood leaves the right ventricle through the pulmonary artery, where it enters the lungs.”