Blood vessels returning blood to the heart

Steps:

• Recall that veins carry blood toward the heart, while arteries carry it away.
• Vena cava returns deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
• Pulmonary vein returns oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
• Identify the pair that fits both returns to the heart: vena cava and pulmonary vein.

Why B is correct:

• Vena cava and pulmonary vein are veins defined as carrying blood toward the heart—one from the body, one from the lungs—per circulatory system anatomy.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Both are arteries carrying blood away from the heart.
• C: Aorta carries blood away from the heart to the body.
• D: Pulmonary artery carries blood away from the heart to the lungs.

Final answer: B