What characterizes the pulmonary circuit?

The pulmonary circuit is characterized by the flow of blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. This process is crucial for gas exchange, where carbon dioxide is expelled and oxygen is acquired. Blood returning from the body, now low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide, enters the right atrium, moves into the right ventricle, and is then pumped through the pulmonary arteries to the lungs. In the lungs, the blood picks up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide, becoming oxygen-rich.

This option effectively highlights the primary function of the pulmonary circuit, which is to transport deoxygenated blood to the lungs for reoxygenation. The other options reference aspects of the systemic circuit or the functioning of the heart in general and do not accurately describe the pulmonary circuit's specific role.