Which ventricle of the heart pumps blood through the lungs?

The right ventricle is responsible for pumping deoxygenated blood into the lungs through the pulmonary arteries. This process is known as pulmonary circulation. When the right ventricle contracts, it sends blood to the lungs where carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen during respiration.

In contrast, the left ventricle's primary role is to pump oxygenated blood received from the lungs to the rest of the body through the aorta. The aorta itself is a major artery and does not pump blood but rather carries it away from the heart. The pulmonary vein is responsible for bringing oxygenated blood back from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart, not for pumping blood through the lungs.

Therefore, the right ventricle's function in pumping blood into the lungs is crucial for allowing the blood to become oxygenated before it is sent out to the systemic circulation by the left ventricle.