Cardiovascular System (Heart and Blood Vessels) — HS Anatomy & Physiology practice questions

The right ventricle pumps blood to the:

1. body
2. lungs
3. left atrium
4. brain only

Answer: B — lungs

B) Correct — The pulmonary trunk carries it to the lungs for gas exchange. A) The left ventricle pumps blood to the body. C) Blood returns to the left atrium from the lungs. D) The brain is supplied by the systemic circuit.

Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart?

1. Aorta
2. Pulmonary artery
3. Pulmonary vein
4. Superior vena cava

Answer: B — Pulmonary artery

B) Correct — Arteries are defined by direction, not oxygen level. A) Carries oxygenated blood to the body. C) Carries oxygenated blood to the heart. D) Carries blood to the heart, not away.

Which valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?

1. Mitral valve
2. Tricuspid valve
3. Aortic valve
4. Pulmonary valve

Answer: A — Mitral valve

A) Correct — Also called the bicuspid valve, it prevents backflow into the left atrium. B) Separates the right atrium and right ventricle. C) Lies between the left ventricle and the aorta. D) Lies between the right ventricle and the pulmonary trunk.

Which sequence shows blood flow through the heart and lungs?

1. Right atrium → right ventricle → lungs → left atrium → left ventricle
2. Left atrium → left ventricle → lungs → right atrium → right ventricle
3. Right atrium → left atrium → lungs → right ventricle → left ventricle
4. Right ventricle → right atrium → lungs → left ventricle → left atrium

Answer: A — Right atrium → right ventricle → lungs → left atrium → left ventricle

A) Correct — The right side pumps to the lungs; the left side pumps to the body. B) Swaps the left and right sides. C) Blood passes from each atrium to the ventricle on the same side. D) Puts each ventricle before its atrium.

The heart muscle itself gets oxygen from:

1. the blood inside its chambers
2. the pulmonary veins directly
3. the coronary arteries
4. the vena cava

Answer: C — the coronary arteries

C) Correct — A blocked coronary artery causes a heart attack. A) The thick walls cannot get enough oxygen from chamber blood. B) These empty into the left atrium. D) Returns deoxygenated blood.

Veins in the legs have valves to:

1. raise blood pressure
2. allow gas exchange
3. prevent backflow
4. filter out pathogens

Answer: C — prevent backflow

C) Correct — Venous pressure is low, so valves keep blood moving toward the heart. A) Valves direct flow; they do not raise pressure. B) Happens in capillaries. D) Lymph nodes and the spleen filter.

Exchange of gases and nutrients with tissues happens across the walls of:

1. arteries
2. veins
3. the aorta
4. capillaries

Answer: D — capillaries

D) Correct — Their walls are a single cell thick. A) Are too thick-walled for exchange. B) Return blood to the heart. C) Is the largest artery.

Atherosclerosis is:

1. an infection of the heart valves
2. an irregular heartbeat
3. a low red blood cell count
4. plaque buildup that narrows arteries

Answer: D — plaque buildup that narrows arteries

D) Correct — It raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. A) Is endocarditis. B) Is an arrhythmia. C) Is anemia.

Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood:

1. toward the heart
2. only to the lungs
3. away from the heart
4. between cells for exchange

Answer: C — away from the heart

C) Correct — They have thick, muscular walls for high pressure. A) Describes veins. B) Most arteries carry blood to the body. D) Describes capillaries.

Interactive heart — hover any chamber, valve, or major vessel.

The cardiovascular system moves blood via the heart (a four-chamber pump). Two circuits: (1) Pulmonary — right ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs (pick up O2, drop CO2) → pulmonary veins → left atrium. (2) Systemic — left ventricle → aorta → body (deliver O2, pick up CO2) → SVC/IVC → right atrium. The heart beats ~100,000 times/day, moving ~7,500 liters of blood.

Cardiovascular disease?

Heart + blood vessel disorders. Leading cause of death.

Blood path through heart?

Body → SVC/IVC → RA → tricuspid → RV → pulmonary valve → lungs → left atrium → mitral → LV → aortic → body.