Which chamber pumps oxygenated blood to the systemic circulation?

• A. Left Ventricle
• B. Right Atrium
• C. Right Ventricle
• D. Left Atrium

Answer: (A)

The left ventricle is the chamber that pushes oxygenated blood into the systemic circulation. It receives oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium through the mitral valve, then contracts to propel blood into the aorta, which supplies the entire body. Because delivering blood to all tissues requires generating high pressure, the left ventricle has a thick, muscular wall to produce that force.

The other chambers have different roles: the right ventricle sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs via the pulmonary artery; the left atrium collects oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmonary veins; the right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the systemic veins.