Cardiovascular System 2 Flashcards
(18 cards)
how do blood vessels transport blood
they have a hollow centre called the lumen so blood can flow through
what does blood pressure measure
how strongly blood presses against the walls of blood vessels
what is the function of an artery
to carry oxygenated blood away from the heart apart from pulmonary arteries which carry deoxygenated blood
how can arteries carry blood flowing at high pressure
they have thick walls and the muscle allows them to widen and narrow to control blood flow
what is the function of a vein
to carry deoxygenated blood towards the heart apart from pulmonary veins which carry oxygenated blood
how do veins carry blood at low pressure
they have thinner walls and less muscle than arteries
what do veins have
valves to stop the backflow of blood and a large lumen
why do capillaries carry blood through the body
to exchange gases and nutrients with the body’s tissues
why do capillaries have thin walls
so that substances can easily pass through
why are capillaries narrow
lots of capillaries can fit into the body’s tissues giving a large surface area to let gas exchange happen more easily
why do capillaries give more time for gas exchange
blood can only flow through them slowly
where does oxygenated blood flow through
arteries into arterioles into capillaries
what are gases exchanged between
the capillaries and the body tissues
what happens after gases have been exchanged
blood is transported from the capillaries into venules where it flows back into the veins
what do red blood cells carry
oxygen and carbon dioxide which is stored by haemoglobin which is a protein in red blood cells
what is oxyhaemoglobin formed by
oxygen and haemoglobin combining
how do red blood cells help your body take part in physical activity
the oxygen is transported around the body which releases the energy needed by muscles
what is the function of white blood cells
they fight against disease so you stay healthy and perform well
