The Circulatory System: blood vessels & pulse Flashcards
Name the 3 main types of blood vessel in your body
Arteries, veins, capillaries
Which vessels carries blood under high pressure?
Arteries
Why do arteries have thick muscular walls?
To cope with high blood pressure
Which vessels carry blood TO the heart?
Veins
Which vessels carry blood AWAY from the heart?
Arteries
What is the largest blood vessel in the body?
Aorta
True or false: The aorta is the largest vein in your body
False
Where does the aorta start?
In the left ventricle
Why are the walls of veins not capable of stretching or contracting too much?
The walls are less muscular since they carry blood at lower pressure
What are varicose veins?
Veins that have swelled and bulged because valves are not functioning properly and blood leaks backwards
What are the valves for?
They open and close to assist the return of blood to the heart
What is the function of capillaries?
They link arteries to veins
True of false: Walls of capillaries are only one cell thick
True
What materials move out of the capillaries and into the body’s cells?
Oxygen, nutrients and other materials
What do capillaries pick up?
Carbon dioxide, waste and other materials. We exhale the carbon dioxide.
