Which chamber pumps oxygenated blood to the body?

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

Answer: (A)

The chamber that pumps oxygenated blood to the body is the left ventricle. After oxygen-rich blood returns from the lungs to the heart, it moves from the left atrium into the left ventricle. When the left ventricle contracts, it ejects blood into the aorta, then through the systemic circulation to supply the body's tissues. The left ventricle has the strongest, thickest wall because it must generate the high pressure needed to push blood all around the body.

In contrast, the right atrium collects deoxygenated blood from the body, the right ventricle sends that blood to the lungs for oxygenation, and the left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs.