Which valve is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery?

• A. Mitral valve
• B. Aortic valve
• C. Pulmonary semilunar valve
• D. Tricuspid valve

Answer: (C)

Understanding valve placement in the heart helps you connect structure to flow. The right ventricle sends blood into the pulmonary artery to go to the lungs, and the valve that sits between these two structures is the pulmonary semilunar valve. It opens when the right ventricle contracts to push blood forward, and closes as the ventricle relaxes to prevent blood from flowing back from the pulmonary artery into the ventricle. The other valves are located at different junctions: the tricuspid valve sits between the right atrium and right ventricle, the mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle, and the aortic valve sits between the left ventricle and the aorta.