Wisconsin Esthetics State Board Practice Test

Which artery splits into the internal and external carotid arteries?

1. Aortic artery

2. Subclavian artery

3. Carotid artery

4. Jugular vein

The correct answer is: Carotid artery

The correct answer is based on the anatomical understanding of blood vessels in the neck. The carotid artery is a major blood vessel that supplies blood to the head and neck. Specifically, it bifurcates, or splits, into two primary branches: the internal carotid artery and the external carotid artery. The internal carotid artery primarily supplies blood to the brain, while the external carotid artery provides blood to the face, scalp, and neck. Recognizing this division is crucial for understanding vascular supply in medical and esthetics contexts, particularly in procedures that might involve facial anatomy or circulatory considerations. Other options do not represent arteries that split in this manner. The aortic artery is the main artery that carries blood from the heart and is not directly involved in the carotid system. The subclavian artery supplies blood to the arms and does not bifurcate into the carotid arteries. Meanwhile, the jugular vein is a major vein responsible for returning deoxygenated blood from the head and neck back to the heart, thus having no role in the arterial supply of these regions.