SOC 16 THE STRUCTURE OF THE BLOOD VESSELS

Question 1

Arteries

Answer 1

Arteries take blood away from the heart
Arteries have thick walls and are more elastic than veins as they carry blood which is at a higher pressure
The channel the blood flows through, called the lumen, can widen
The pulmonary artery is different from other arteries as it carries
deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs

Question 2

Veins

Answer 2

Veins carry blood into the heart
Veins have much thinner walls, are less elastic and carry blood at a lower pressure
Veins contain many valves which helps deoxygenated blood flow to the heart
The pulmonary vein is different to other veins as it carries oxygenated
blood from the lungs back to the heart

Question 3

Capillaries

Answer 3

Capillaries are microscopic vessels - just one cell thick
At one end, capillaries carry oxygenated blood which transfers oxygen and nutrients to the muscles
At the other end, they carry deoxygenated blood into the veins, picking up waste products and taking them around the body to dispose of them
Capillaries are where gaseous exchange takes place