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50 JAMB, WAEC & NABTEB Biology Questions on The Human Heart and Blood Vessels (With Answers)

This set of 50 objective questions covers the structure and function of the human heart, the cardiac cycle, the conduction system, nervous control of heartbeat, and the detailed anatomy of blood vessels.

Based on standard JAMB, WAEC, and NABTEB past questions and core textbook content, these questions test knowledge of heart chambers, valves, double circulation, the differences between arteries, veins and capillaries, and key exceptional vessels such as the pulmonary artery and hepatic portal vein. Use them to master the cardiovascular system for your examinations.

Also read – 50 JAMB, WAEC & NABTEB Chemistry Questions on Atomic Structure and Dalton’s Theory (With Answers)

Biology Questions on The Human Heart and Blood Vessels (With Answers)

The human heart is described as a
A. spherical, solid, voluntary organ
B. conical, hollow, muscular organ
C. rectangular, hollow, non-muscular organ
D. cylindrical, solid, muscular organ
The size of the human heart is approximately that of a
A. clenched fist
B. kidney
C. lung
D. liver
The heart lies in the chest just behind the breast bone and between
A. the two kidneys
B. the liver and the stomach
C. the two lungs
D. the diaphragm and the ribs
The heart has four chambers: two upper thin-walled chambers called
A. ventricles
B. atria or auricles
C. sinuses
D. septa
The two lower chambers of the heart are the
A. atria
B. auricles
C. ventricles
D. appendages
The thick structure that divides the heart longitudinally into right and left sides is the
A. interatrial septum
B. interventricular septum
C. chordae tendinae
D. pericardium
The valve that guards the opening between the right atrium and right ventricle is the
A. bicuspid valve
B. mitral valve
C. tricuspid valve
D. semilunar valve
The bicuspid (mitral) valve is located between the
A. right auricle and right ventricle
B. left auricle and left ventricle
C. right ventricle and pulmonary artery
D. left ventricle and aorta
The tricuspid valve has three cusps while the bicuspid valve has
A. one cusp
B. two cusps
C. four cusps
D. no cusps
The chordae tendinae are attached to the ventricular wall to prevent the valves from
A. closing during atrial contraction
B. upward projection into the atrium during ventricular contraction
C. allowing blood to flow backward into the veins
D. sticking to the septum
There is no communication between the right and left sides of the heart; therefore the heart functions as a
A. single pump
B. double pump
C. triple pump
D. suction pump
Deoxygenated blood enters the heart through a major vein called the
A. pulmonary vein
B. aorta
C. vena cava
D. carotid artery
Deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle is pumped to the lungs in the
A. systemic circulation
B. coronary circulation
C. pulmonary circulation
D. hepatic portal circulation
Oxygenated blood from the left ventricle is pumped to all parts of the body through the
A. vena cava
B. pulmonary artery
C. pulmonary vein
D. aorta
The heart is made up of cardiac muscles which are unique because they are
A. voluntary and non-striated
B. involuntary and non-striated
C. involuntary and striated
D. voluntary and striated
Cardiac muscles are not attached to
A. the lungs
B. the pericardium
C. bones or any hard structures
D. the diaphragm
The walls of the ventricles are thicker and firmer than the auricles because they
A. store more blood
B. receive blood from the lungs
C. pump blood to greater distance
D. contain more valves
The heart is described as an involuntary organ because its function is
A. under the control of the will
B. not under the control of the will
C. controlled by skeletal muscles
D. regulated by hormones only
The beat of the mammalian heart is initiated by the
A. atrioventricular node
B. Purkinje fibres
C. sino-atrial node (pacemaker)
D. medulla oblongata
Nerve impulses from the pacemaker spread to the atrioventricular node (AV node) where they are
A. slowed down
B. blocked
C. amplified
D. converted to chemical signals
The Purkinje fibres function to
A. generate the heartbeat
B. amplify nerve impulses
C. spread impulses to other regions of the heart
D. slow down the heart rate
The rate of heartbeat is controlled by the nervous system, specifically the
A. cerebellum
B. cerebrum
C. medulla oblongata
D. hypothalamus
The vagus nerve belongs to the
A. sympathetic nervous system
B. parasympathetic nervous system
C. somatic nervous system
D. central nervous system
The parasympathetic nerve (vagus) affects the heart by
A. accelerating the heartbeat
B. slowing the rate of heartbeat
C. increasing the force of contraction
D. initiating the pacemaker
The sympathetic fibres of the autonomic nervous system
A. slow the heartbeat
B. stop the heartbeat
C. accelerate the heartbeat
D. have no effect on the heart
The heartbeat occurs in two stages. The first stage, diastole, involves the contraction of the
A. ventricles
B. atria (auricles)
C. septum
D. valves
The second stage of the heartbeat, systole, involves the contraction of the
A. auricles
B. ventricles
C. sino-atrial node
D. venae cavae
The rate of heartbeat in an adult human being is approximately
A. 60 times per minute
B. 72 times per minute
C. 80 times per minute
D. 90 times per minute
The three major types of blood vessels in the body are
A. arteries, veins and capillaries
B. aorta, vena cava and arterioles
C. arteries, venules and capillaries
D. veins, arterioles and venules
The correct sequence of blood flow from the heart to the cells and back to the heart is
A. veins → venules → capillaries → arterioles → arteries → heart
B. arteries → arterioles → capillaries → venules → veins → heart
C. capillaries → arteries → arterioles → veins → venules → heart
D. heart → veins → venules → capillaries → arterioles → arteries
Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs?
A. Pulmonary vein
B. Aorta
C. Pulmonary artery
D. Vena cava
The pulmonary vein is exceptional among veins because it carries
A. deoxygenated blood to the heart
B. oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart
C. blood at high pressure
D. blood rich in nutrients
The only major blood vessel that starts and ends with capillaries is the
A. renal vein
B. superior vena cava
C. hepatic portal vein
D. pulmonary artery
Arteries have walls that are
A. thin and inelastic
B. thick, elastic and muscular
C. one cell layer thick
D. thin and non-muscular
Blood flows through arteries at
A. low pressure
B. high pressure
C. zero pressure
D. variable pressure that matches veins
Arteries usually carry
A. deoxygenated blood towards the heart
B. oxygenated blood away from the heart
C. mixed blood
D. only plasma
Veins typically have walls that are
A. thick and elastic
B. thin and less elastic
C. one cell thick
D. as thick as artery walls
Blood in veins flows
A. at high pressure
B. at low pressure and smoothly
C. in pulses
D. against gravity only
A characteristic feature present in veins but usually absent in arteries is the presence of
A. a wide lumen only
B. valves
C. thick muscular walls
D. high blood pressure
The blood vessel with walls only one cell layer thick is the
A. artery
B. vein
C. capillary
D. arteriole
Blood flow through capillaries
A. occurs under high pressure directly from the heart
B. has a distinct pulse
C. is under the pressure from arteries and lacks a pulse
D. is smooth and at very low velocity only
Arterial blood is bright red in colour, while venous blood is
A. bright red
B. dark red
C. blue
D. colourless
Which statement about capillaries is correct according to the passage?
A. They have valves and thick muscular walls
B. They carry blood at high pressure and pulse
C. They are one cell thick and carry both deoxygenated and oxygenated blood
D. They return blood directly to the heart
The superior vena cava drains deoxygenated blood from the
A. trunk and hind limbs
B. head and fore limbs
C. liver and intestines
D. lungs and heart
The inferior vena cava drains blood from the
A. head and neck
B. hind limbs and trunk
C. lungs only
D. fore limbs and head
The hepatic portal vein is heavily loaded with food nutrients because it carries blood from the
A. liver to the heart
B. small intestine to the liver
C. heart to the small intestine
D. kidneys to the liver
Filtered blood from the kidney is carried back to the circulatory system through the
A. renal artery
B. hepatic portal vein
C. renal vein
D. pulmonary vein
The blood vessel that carries nitrogenous wastes to the kidney is the
A. renal vein
B. pulmonary artery
C. renal artery
D. vena cava
The first heart sound (‘lub’) is produced by the closure of the
A. semilunar valves
B. tricuspid and bicuspid (atrioventricular) valves
C. aortic valve only
D. pulmonary valve only
The symptom of varicose veins described in the passage is
A. profuse sweating
B. sleeplessness
C. haemorrhage
D. swelling of veins along the lower limbs