Florida Basic Recruit Training Program High Liability (First Aid) Practice Exam

What part of the heart pumps blood to the lungs for oxygenation?

1. Right side

2. Left side

3. Aorta

4. Vena cava

The correct answer is: Right side

The right side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood to the lungs for oxygenation. This process occurs through the pulmonary circuit. Deoxygenated blood returns to the right atrium from the body via the superior and inferior vena cavae and then moves into the right ventricle. From there, the right ventricle contracts, sending the blood into the pulmonary arteries, which lead to the lungs. In the lungs, carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen, completing the key step of oxygenating the blood. The left side of the heart primarily deals with pumping oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the left ventricle to the body. The vena cava comprises large veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart, but it does not have a role in pumping blood to the lungs. Thus, the right side of the heart's function is crucial in ensuring that the blood is re-oxygenated in the lungs before it circulates to the rest of the body.