Which human heart chamber pumps blood into the aorta?

The left ventricle pumps blood into the aorta.

It receives oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium through the mitral valve. When the left ventricle contracts, the aortic valve opens and blood is ejected into the aorta, beginning its journey through systemic circulation to the body’s tissues.

The left ventricular wall is thicker than the wall of the right ventricle because it must produce higher pressure to move blood through the entire systemic circuit. The right ventricle, by contrast, pumps blood only to the lungs through the pulmonary artery.

The aortic valve closes after ejection to prevent blood from flowing backward into the ventricle. The left ventricle’s workload is central to normal circulation, which is why conditions that weaken or stiffen it can cause heart failure symptoms. The chamber should not be confused with the left atrium, whose role is to receive blood returning from the lungs.