What type of vessel connects to the lungs to carry deoxygenated blood away?

The pulmonary arteries are specifically responsible for carrying deoxygenated blood away from the right side of the heart to the lungs. This process is a crucial part of the pulmonary circulation. Once the blood reaches the lungs, it undergoes gas exchange, where carbon dioxide is released and oxygen is absorbed. This oxygenated blood then returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins to be distributed throughout the body.

In contrast, veins in general are responsible for returning deoxygenated blood to the heart from various parts of the body but do not play a role in connecting directly to the lungs for oxygenation. The aorta is the large artery that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body, and the superior vena cava is a large vein that returns deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart, again not directly involved in the process of transporting blood to the lungs for oxygenation. Thus, the pulmonary arteries are the correct answer as they directly connect the heart to the lungs for the specific function of carrying deoxygenated blood away from the heart.