Which type of blood is venous blood?

• A. Capillary blood
• B. Lymphatic fluid
• C. Arterial blood
• D. Venous blood

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is understanding where blood is described as venous and what that implies. Venous blood is the blood found in veins as it returns to the heart. In systemic circulation it tends to have lower oxygen content and higher carbon dioxide because it has delivered oxygen to tissues and collected waste gases. That’s why venous blood often looks darker and carries more CO2 when it’s on its way back to the heart. In contrast, arterial blood is the oxygen-rich blood traveling away from the heart to tissues, capillary blood is the mixture present during exchange in the microcirculation, and lymphatic fluid is not blood at all. So the type meant by venous blood is simply the blood that travels in the veins back to the heart.