What is the function of the right ventricle?

The right ventricle’s primary function is to pump blood to the lungs for oxygenation. It receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium and contracts to send this blood through the pulmonary artery into the lungs. In the lungs, carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen, which is a critical step in the circulatory process needed for respiration. This function is essential, as it completes the pulmonary circulation loop, allowing the blood to become oxygenated before it returns to the heart and is subsequently pumped out to the rest of the body.

The other options relate to different functions and parts of the heart. For instance, pumping oxygen-rich blood to the body is the role of the left ventricle, while structural support and receiving blood from the left atrium pertain more to the heart’s anatomy and the function of the left side of the heart, respectively. Thus, the correct answer highlights the specific role of the right ventricle in the pulmonary circulation.