Ace the CVS Pharmacy Exam 2025 - Your Prescription for Success!

The correct answer is three because the right ventricle is equipped with three papillary muscles, which are critical components of the heart's anatomy. These muscles attach to the tricuspid valve via chordae tendineae, ensuring that the valve functions properly during the cardiac cycle. When the right ventricle contracts, the papillary muscles pull on the chordae tendineae, preventing the valve from prolapsing into the atrium. This mechanism helps maintain unidirectional blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle.

Each papillary muscle is typically associated with one of the three cusps of the tricuspid valve, providing the necessary structural support and stabilization when the ventricle is in systole. Understanding the role of the papillary muscles is important in cardiology, particularly in relation to ventricular function and potential heart conditions that may arise from damage or dysfunction of these structures.