What is the main artery that exits the left ventricle and distributes blood to the body?

• A. Pulmonary artery
• B. Aorta
• C. Superior vena cava
• D. Inferior vena cava

Answer: (B)

Left ventricle ejects blood into the body's main artery, the aorta, to distribute oxygen-rich blood to the entire systemic circulation. After passing through the aortic valve, blood enters the aorta, which is large and elastic to propel blood through its many branches to all tissues. The pulmonary artery, in contrast, carries blood from the right ventricle to the lungs for oxygenation, not to the body. The superior and inferior venae cavae are vessels that return blood to the right atrium, so they are veins, not arteries. So the aorta is the vessel responsible for sending blood from the heart to the rest of the body.