Question

Which of the following is not true of the atria?

1) receive blood from arteries returning to the heart
2) are called receiving chambers
3) have thinner walls than ventricles
4) all of the above are true

Answer 1

The atria are the receiving chambers of the heart with thinner walls than ventricles, and they receive blood from veins, not arteries. Thus, the statement that atria receive blood from arteries is not true.

Step-by-step explanation:

The human heart is divided into four chambers which include the right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, and left ventricle. The atria are known as the receiving chambers because they receive blood returning to the heart. In particular, the right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the systemic circulation through the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava, while the left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins. Contrary to one of the provided statements, atria actually receive blood through the veins, not arteries. Additionally, atria do indeed have thinner walls than the ventricles because their function is to push blood into the ventricles rather than propelling it out of the heart to the lungs or the rest of the body, which requires more force and thus thicker muscular walls in the ventricles.

Therefore, statement 1) 'receive blood from arteries returning to the heart' is not true of the atria, making it the correct answer.