What do arteries carry away from the heart?

Arteries are critical components of the circulatory system, primarily responsible for transporting oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to various tissues and organs throughout the body. This function is essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients that are necessary for cellular metabolism and overall health.

The choice indicating that arteries carry blood towards the heart is fundamentally incorrect. In fact, it is the veins that perform this role, returning deoxygenated blood back to the heart after it has delivered oxygen to the body.

The other statements do not accurately describe the primary function of arteries. For example, saying arteries carry blood to the brain only is too restrictive; while arteries do supply blood to the brain, they also deliver blood to all other areas of the body.

The correct answer highlights the primary function of arteries—they carry blood away from the heart, playing an essential role in the overall circulatory mechanism. Understanding this function helps in grasping how blood circulation works in the human body, particularly in the context of vascular interventions and associated medical practices.