Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) Degree Practice Exam

When blood leaves the right atrium, it enters the right ventricle. This step is crucial in the pulmonary circulation process. In the heart, the right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the superior and inferior vena cavae. Once the right atrium is filled, it contracts and sends blood through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle.

The right ventricle then plays its role by contracting to pump blood through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary arteries, which carry it to the lungs. Here, carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen, completing the circuit of blood circulation. The choice that correctly identifies the immediate next location for blood after it exits the right atrium is the right ventricle, as it serves as the conduit for the blood en route to the lungs for oxygenation.