The respiratory advantage provided by a four-chambered heart over a three-chambered heart in vertebrates is
A)combination of oxygen-rich blood with oxygen-poor blood.
B)reduction of hemoglobin requirement.
C)elimination of alveolar dependency.
D)separation of oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood.
E)more blood gets sent to the lungs.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The four-chambered heart separates oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood, preventing the two from mixing and enabling the efficient oxygenation of the blood in the lungs. This is an advantage over the three-chambered heart, which mixes oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich blood in a single ventricle.

The Respiratory Advantage Provided by a Four-Chambered Heart Over a Three-Chambered