Which of the following statements is true? 

• A.  Arteries carry waste from different cells of the body to the excretory organs. 
• B. Venules are the smallest of all blood vessels and merge into each other to form veins. 
• C. The branching of arteries into smaller vessels ensures that blood reaches all parts of the body. 
• D. Arteries originate in the lungs and connect back to the heart as veins after delivering oxygen to the body. 

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the function of arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to various parts of the body, ensuring oxygen delivery to tissues.
2. Step 2: Recognize the role of venules. Venules are small blood vessels that collect deoxygenated blood from capillaries and merge to form veins, which return blood to the heart.
3. Step 3: Analyze the statement about arteries carrying waste. This is incorrect because arteries carry oxygenated blood, not waste; veins and venules carry waste products back to excretory organs.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the statement about arteries originating in the lungs. This is false; arteries originate from the heart, not the lungs. The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, but systemic arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body.
5. Step 5: Confirm the correct statement: The branching of arteries into smaller vessels (arterioles and capillaries) ensures that blood reaches all parts of the body, facilitating efficient oxygen and nutrient delivery.