BIOL 252 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
w/Lab 2026 | Module 1 Blood and
Cardiovascular System Basics 70+ Review
Questions and Answers Practice With
Rationales 2026| Portage Learning
1. Which organ is the primary pump of the cardiovascular system?
A. Lungs
B. Brain
C. Heart
D. Liver
Answer: C. Heart
Rationale: The heart generates the force needed to circulate blood
throughout the body.
2. Blood is classified as which type of tissue?
A. Epithelial tissue
B. Muscle tissue
C. Nervous tissue
D. Connective tissue
Answer: D. Connective tissue
Rationale: Blood contains cells suspended in a liquid extracellular
matrix called plasma, making it a connective tissue.
,3. Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the
systemic circulation?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Answer: D. Left ventricle
Rationale: The left ventricle ejects oxygen-rich blood through the
aorta to the body.
4. Which blood vessel carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to
the heart?
A. Pulmonary artery
B. Superior vena cava
C. Aorta
D. Pulmonary veins
Answer: D. Pulmonary veins
Rationale: Pulmonary veins are the only veins that normally carry
oxygenated blood.
5. Which chamber receives deoxygenated blood from the body?
A. Left atrium
B. Left ventricle
C. Right atrium
D. Right ventricle
Answer: C. Right atrium
Rationale: The superior and inferior vena cava empty into the right
atrium.
,6. Which valve separates the right atrium and right ventricle?
A. Mitral valve
B. Aortic valve
C. Pulmonary valve
D. Tricuspid valve
Answer: D. Tricuspid valve
Rationale: The tricuspid valve prevents backflow into the right atrium
during ventricular contraction.
7. Which valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle?
A. Pulmonary valve
B. Tricuspid valve
C. Aortic valve
D. Mitral (bicuspid) valve
Answer: D. Mitral (bicuspid) valve
Rationale: The mitral valve ensures one-way blood flow into the left
ventricle.
8. The pulmonary circulation carries blood between the:
A. Heart and body tissues
B. Kidneys and heart
C. Liver and intestines
D. Heart and lungs
Answer: D. Heart and lungs
Rationale: Pulmonary circulation oxygenates blood in the lungs.
, 9. Which blood vessel has the thickest wall?
A. Vein
B. Capillary
C. Venule
D. Artery
Answer: D. Artery
Rationale: Arteries withstand the highest blood pressure and
therefore have thick muscular walls.
10. Which layer of the heart wall is responsible for contraction?
A. Epicardium
B. Endocardium
C. Pericardium
D. Myocardium
Answer: D. Myocardium
Rationale: The myocardium consists of cardiac muscle tissue.
11. The heart is enclosed within the:
A. Pleura
B. Peritoneum
C. Pericardium
D. Mediastinum
Answer: C. Pericardium
Rationale: The pericardium is the protective sac surrounding the
heart.
12. The natural pacemaker of the heart is the:
w/Lab 2026 | Module 1 Blood and
Cardiovascular System Basics 70+ Review
Questions and Answers Practice With
Rationales 2026| Portage Learning
1. Which organ is the primary pump of the cardiovascular system?
A. Lungs
B. Brain
C. Heart
D. Liver
Answer: C. Heart
Rationale: The heart generates the force needed to circulate blood
throughout the body.
2. Blood is classified as which type of tissue?
A. Epithelial tissue
B. Muscle tissue
C. Nervous tissue
D. Connective tissue
Answer: D. Connective tissue
Rationale: Blood contains cells suspended in a liquid extracellular
matrix called plasma, making it a connective tissue.
,3. Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the
systemic circulation?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Answer: D. Left ventricle
Rationale: The left ventricle ejects oxygen-rich blood through the
aorta to the body.
4. Which blood vessel carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to
the heart?
A. Pulmonary artery
B. Superior vena cava
C. Aorta
D. Pulmonary veins
Answer: D. Pulmonary veins
Rationale: Pulmonary veins are the only veins that normally carry
oxygenated blood.
5. Which chamber receives deoxygenated blood from the body?
A. Left atrium
B. Left ventricle
C. Right atrium
D. Right ventricle
Answer: C. Right atrium
Rationale: The superior and inferior vena cava empty into the right
atrium.
,6. Which valve separates the right atrium and right ventricle?
A. Mitral valve
B. Aortic valve
C. Pulmonary valve
D. Tricuspid valve
Answer: D. Tricuspid valve
Rationale: The tricuspid valve prevents backflow into the right atrium
during ventricular contraction.
7. Which valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle?
A. Pulmonary valve
B. Tricuspid valve
C. Aortic valve
D. Mitral (bicuspid) valve
Answer: D. Mitral (bicuspid) valve
Rationale: The mitral valve ensures one-way blood flow into the left
ventricle.
8. The pulmonary circulation carries blood between the:
A. Heart and body tissues
B. Kidneys and heart
C. Liver and intestines
D. Heart and lungs
Answer: D. Heart and lungs
Rationale: Pulmonary circulation oxygenates blood in the lungs.
, 9. Which blood vessel has the thickest wall?
A. Vein
B. Capillary
C. Venule
D. Artery
Answer: D. Artery
Rationale: Arteries withstand the highest blood pressure and
therefore have thick muscular walls.
10. Which layer of the heart wall is responsible for contraction?
A. Epicardium
B. Endocardium
C. Pericardium
D. Myocardium
Answer: D. Myocardium
Rationale: The myocardium consists of cardiac muscle tissue.
11. The heart is enclosed within the:
A. Pleura
B. Peritoneum
C. Pericardium
D. Mediastinum
Answer: C. Pericardium
Rationale: The pericardium is the protective sac surrounding the
heart.
12. The natural pacemaker of the heart is the:
