Anatomy And Physiology II (APII) Exam 2 Practice Test

The three elastic arteries that branch off the aortic arch and supply the head, neck, shoulders, and upper limbs are the major vessels coming directly from the arch: the brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid artery, and the left subclavian artery. These are elastic arteries, built to handle the high-pressure surge from the heart, and they route blood to the regions you mentioned. The brachiocephalic trunk is the first arch branch on the right and quickly divides into the right common carotid and right subclavian arteries, supplying the right side of the head/neck and the right upper limb. The left common carotid supplies the left side of the head and neck, and the left subclavian supplies the left upper limb. The other options either involve arteries that are not direct branches from the arch, or arteries that are not elastic arteries, or arteries in regions outside the head/neck/upper limbs.