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What is the primary function of the right atrium in the heart?
It pumps oxygenated blood to the body.
It receives deoxygenated blood from the vena cava.
It regulates heart rate.
It prevents backflow of blood.
The correct answer is: It receives deoxygenated blood from the vena cava.
The primary function of the right atrium is to receive deoxygenated blood from the systemic circulation through the superior and inferior vena cava. This blood has already delivered oxygen to the body tissues and is returning to the heart to be re-oxygenated. By receiving this blood, the right atrium plays a crucial role in maintaining the flow of blood through the heart and into the lungs, where it will be oxygenated before being pumped out to the body again. The other options do not accurately reflect the primary function of the right atrium. For instance, while it is true that oxygenated blood is pumped to the body, that function is performed by the left ventricle. The regulation of heart rate is primarily the responsibility of the sinoatrial node and other components of the heart's electrical conduction system, rather than the atria themselves. Preventing backflow of blood is a function primarily associated with the heart valves, which open and close to maintain unidirectional blood flow, rather than a specific function of the right atrium itself.