Skip to main content
Pearson+ LogoPearson+ Logo
Ch. 42 - Circulation and Gas Exchange
Campbell - Campbell Biology 11th Edition
Urry11th EditionCampbell BiologyISBN: 9789357423311Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 42, Problem 2

Blood returning to the mammalian heart in a pulmonary vein drains first into the
a. Left atrium
b. Right atrium
c. Left ventricle
d. Right ventricle

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the flow of blood in the mammalian circulatory system, which consists of two main circuits: the pulmonary circuit and the systemic circuit.
Recognize that the pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart.
Identify the chambers of the heart: the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, and right ventricle.
Recall that the pulmonary veins deliver oxygenated blood to the left atrium of the heart.
Conclude that blood returning to the heart in a pulmonary vein drains first into the left atrium.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
3m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Pulmonary Circulation

Pulmonary circulation is the part of the cardiovascular system that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood to the left side of the heart. This process is crucial for gas exchange, allowing blood to release carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen in the lungs.
Recommended video:
Guided course
06:28
Gas Exchange and Circulation

Heart Chambers

The mammalian heart consists of four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. The atria are the upper chambers that receive blood, while the ventricles are the lower chambers that pump blood out of the heart. Understanding the flow of blood through these chambers is essential for comprehending the heart's function in circulation.
Recommended video:
Guided course
05:13
Heart Physiology

Left Atrium

The left atrium is one of the four chambers of the heart, specifically responsible for receiving oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmonary veins. This chamber then transfers the blood to the left ventricle, which pumps it out to the systemic circulation, supplying oxygen to the body.
Recommended video:
Guided course
07:55
Heart Anatomy