Which of the following can be confusing because it is a component of the circulatory system that carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart?

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The question asks which option can be confusing because it is a component of the circulatory system that carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart.
Option a: Pulmonary red blood cells. This is not a structure; red blood cells are cells that travel in the blood, not a vessel or chamber. The phrasing makes it a tempting misdirection, but it does not describe a component like a vessel or vein.
Option b: Pulmonary arteries. These carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, not oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart. This reverses the direction and is a common source of confusion for students who mix up where oxygenation occurs.
Option c: Pulmonary capillaries. While these are the tiny vessels in the lungs where gas exchange occurs, they are not the conduit that carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back to the heart; they are part of the exchange site rather than the main transport channel returning blood to the heart.
Option d: Pulmonary veins. This option correctly identifies the vessels that return oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart. The concept that veins carry oxygenated blood in the pulmonary circuit can be confusing because most systemic veins carry deoxygenated blood, so students often confuse the naming and the oxygen content depending on the circulation discussed.
In summary, among the choices, the term that matches the description of carrying oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back to the heart is the pulmonary veins, which is why this option is the focal point of the confusion addressed by the question.

BIO 181 (001&002) FALL 2025 4B - Self-Check: Circulatory System: Cardiac Cycle (LO 4B.1, 4B.2, 4B.3)

Which of the following can be confusing because it is a component of the circulatory system that carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart?

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