Which statement correctly describes arteries?

• A. Carry blood away from the heart
• B. Contain valves to prevent backflow
• C. Have low pressure
• D. Transport deoxygenated blood to the heart

Answer: (A)

Arteries are the vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This direction is driven by the heart’s pumping action, and arteries have thick, muscular walls to sustain the high pressure generated with each beat, keeping the blood moving forward. They do not have valves, because the strong, high pressure helps maintain forward flow rather than risking backflow. The idea that arteries have low pressure isn’t accurate—arterial blood is high-pressure, especially near the heart. As for oxygen content, arteries in the systemic circulation typically carry oxygenated blood to tissues, not deoxygenated blood back to the heart; the only exception is the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs, but it still serves to transport blood away from the heart.