What is the function of the vena cava? (1 point)
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• It carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the body.
• It carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
• It carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
• It carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
It carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
The function of the vena cava is to carry deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
The correct answer is: "It carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart."
To arrive at this answer, one must have a basic understanding of the circulatory system. The vena cava is the largest vein in the body and its main function is to return deoxygenated blood to the heart.
To support this answer, here's how to determine the function of the vena cava:
1. Understand the circulatory system: Know that the circulatory system is responsible for transporting blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells, and removing waste products.
2. Determine the function of veins: Know that veins carry blood towards the heart.
3. Identify the vena cava: Learn that the vena cava consists of two main veins, the superior vena cava (which returns blood from the upper body) and the inferior vena cava (which returns blood from the lower body).
4. Determine the type of blood it carries: Recall that deoxygenated blood is blood that has already delivered its oxygen to the cells and is returning to the heart to be reoxygenated.
5. Combine the information: Based on the above points, conclude that the vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
By following these steps, one can deduce that the correct function of the vena cava is to carry deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.