Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta?

• A. Right atrium
• B. Left atrium
• C. Left ventricle
• D. Right ventricle

Answer: (C)

The left ventricle is the chamber that pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta. After blood returns from the lungs, it enters the left atrium via the pulmonary veins, then passes through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. The left ventricle then contracts and sends blood through the aortic valve into the aorta, delivering oxygen-rich blood to the body's tissues. The right heart chambers deal with deoxygenated blood (right atrium and right ventricle) and route it to the lungs, not to the aorta. The left atrium collects oxygenated blood, but it is the left ventricle’s powerful contraction that provides the high-pressure flow into the systemic circulation via the aorta.