Which vessels carry deoxygenated blood to the heart?

• A. Arteries
• B. Veins
• C. Capillaries
• D. Lymphatics

Answer: (B)

Veins are the vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. In the systemic circulation, blood returns from body tissues through veins, moving toward the heart and into the right atrium. A helpful nuance: in the lungs, the opposite arrangement exists—pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs, while pulmonary veins return oxygenated blood to the heart. Capillaries are the tiny vessels where gas exchange occurs between arteries and veins, and lymphatics carry lymph, not blood, back toward the venous system.