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

• A. Pulmonary artery
• B. Aorta
• C. Pulmonary veins
• D. Superior vena cava

Answer: (A)

The movement of blood from the heart to the lungs is done by the pulmonary artery, a key part of the pulmonary circulation. After the right ventricle contracts, it sends deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary artery, which carries it to the lungs for gas exchange. A helpful detail: arteries typically carry oxygenated blood, but the pulmonary artery is an exception because it ferries deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Once the blood is oxygenated, it returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins and enters the left atrium. The aorta moves blood from the heart to the rest of the body, the pulmonary veins bring oxygenated blood back from the lungs to the heart, and the superior vena cava brings deoxygenated blood from the upper body back to the heart.