What action does the right ventricle perform?

The right ventricle plays a crucial role in the circulatory system by pumping deoxygenated blood to the lungs. This process is essential for oxygenation; the blood that returns to the heart from the body is low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide. When the right ventricle contracts, it sends this deoxygenated blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs. In the lungs, carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen, which is then carried by the blood back to the heart's left side for distribution to the rest of the body.

Understanding the function of the right ventricle helps clarify why it is not responsible for pumping oxygenated blood, which is a function of the left ventricle; receiving blood from the atria, which is a role of both the right and left atria; or controlling heart rhythm, which is managed by the sinoatrial (SA) node and the electrical conduction system of the heart. Thus, the right ventricle's specific action of pumping deoxygenated blood to the lungs is vital in the cycle of respiration and blood circulation.