Final answer:
Arteries are the strongest blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart, capable of handling high pressure with their thick walls. The aorta is the largest artery in the body, branching into smaller arteries and arterioles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The strongest blood vessels that function to carry blood away from the heart are arteries. Arteries are muscular blood vessels with thick walls that can withstand the high pressure of blood being pumped directly from the heart. These vessels generally carry oxygen-rich blood.
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, receiving blood directly from the heart and branching out into major arteries that take blood to various parts of the body. Smaller arteries, called arterioles, further carry blood to capillary beds for nutrient and waste exchange with body tissues.