Consider the following statements Statement I: The blood arteries have thick and rigid walls. Statement II: Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from heart to various body organs under high pressure. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the Options given below

Official answer key: D. The answer shown above (B) is the academy’s own.

• Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the tissues and organs of the body. Hence, statement II is correct. The exception is the pulmonary arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.

Major Arteries

• Aorta: The largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and distributing blood to all parts of the body through its branches.
• Coronary Arteries: Supply blood to the heart muscle itself.
• Carotid Arteries: Supply blood to the brain, neck, and face.
• Pulmonary Arteries: Carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.
• Arteries indeed have thick and relatively rigid walls compared to other blood vessels like veins. Hence, statement I is correct.

Reasons for Thick and Rigid Walls in Arteries

• High Pressure Handling
• Elasticity
• Pulse Damping
• Structural Support
• Resilience and Durability

Comparison with Veins and Capillaries

• Veins: Unlike arteries, veins have thinner walls because they operate under lower pressure. They also have valves to prevent the backflow of blood.
• Capillaries: Capillaries, the smallest blood vessels, have very thin walls (just a single layer of endothelial cells) to allow the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste between blood and tissues.
• Therefore, Statement I and II both are correct but Statement II is not the correct explanation for Statement I.