Biological Systems MCAT Practice Exam

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Study for the Biological Systems MCAT Exam. Ace your test with flashcards and multiple choice questions, including hints and explanations. Be prepared for your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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Which of the following best describes systemic circulation?

Flow of blood from the heart to the lungs
Flow of blood from the heart to the body
Flow of blood within the heart
Flow from the heart to the kidneys

The correct answer is: Flow of blood from the heart to the body

Systemic circulation is best described as the pathway that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the various tissues and organs throughout the body and then returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart. This process is crucial for delivering oxygen and nutrients needed for cellular metabolism while also removing carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes. The flow begins when oxygen-rich blood is pumped from the left ventricle of the heart into the aorta, which branches into smaller arteries and arterioles that reach every part of the body. After distributing oxygen and nutrients, the blood returns to the heart through the venous system, entering the right atrium, primarily via the superior and inferior vena cavae. The other choices describe different circulatory processes: the flow to the lungs constitutes pulmonary circulation, the flow within the heart does not reflect systemic circulation, and the flow directed specifically to the kidneys pertains to the renal circulation. All these options highlight important aspects of the cardiovascular system, but they do not encapsulate the concept of systemic circulation which is focused on supplying the rest of the body.