B7.2 : Circulatory Systems and Blood Flashcards
Circulatory Systems
All animals have circulatory systems to transport things around their bodies. These systems are made of blood vessels, a pump (the heart) and valves to stop blood moving in the wrong direction.
Single Circulatory System
Fish have what is known as a single circulatory system because blood only travels through the heart once in every circuit around the body.
Double Circulatory System
- Mammals have a double circulatory system, where blood travels through the heart twice per circuit.
- Double circulatory systems get oxygenated blood to tissues (like muscles) that need it faster than single circulatory systems.
- The concentration gradient between the blood and cells is also better maintained in double circulatory systems, so substances are exchanged between the blood and body cells faster.
Double Circulatory System Process
- The circulatory system of mammals has three key components: blood vessels, blood and the heart. It is called a double circulatory system because blood passes through the heart twice per circuit:
- The first is when blood enters the heart: Deoxygenated blood from the body enters the into the right atrium of the heart.
- Then Blood pumped to lungs: This deoxygenated blood is pumped out of the heart and towards the lungs by the right ventricle.
- Lungs oxygenate the blood: At the lungs, the deoxygenated blood exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen. This is how it becomes oxygenated (contains oxygen).
- Blood returns to the heart: Oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium of the heart.
- Blood pumped into the body: This oxygenated blood is pumped out of the heart and to the body by the left ventricle.
- Blood returns to the heart: The oxygenated blood gives its oxygen to body cells in exchange for carbon dioxide. The blood becomes deoxygenated and returns to the heart.
Right and Left pump of the heart
- The right pump sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated and returns back to the heart.
- The left pump sends the newly oxygenated blood around the body. By the time this blood returns to the heart, it has returned to a deoxygenated state.
Single vs double circulatory systems
Double circulatory systems of mammals oxygenate the body’s tissues faster and exchange substances between the blood and tissues faster than the single circulatory systems of fish.
Heart pumping
- A group of cells in the right atrium act as a pacemaker, controlling the pumping heart.
- When a heart beats blood enters the heart via the atria.
- Once filled with blood, the atria contract, forcing blood down into the ventricles below.
- When the ventricles contract, they force blood to exit the heart.
Structure of the heart
- The heart is the muscular organ that pumps blood around the body.
- The heart has four chambers: the left and right atria and the left and right ventricles.
- The wall that separates the right and left ventricles is called the septum and is important for keeping oxygenated and deoxygenated blood separate.
- The atrioventricular valves stop back-flow of blood from the ventricles into the atria.
- The semilunar valves stop back-flow of blood back into the heart.
- The left ventricle wall is much thicker than the right because it has to force blood out of the heart at a higher pressure, because the blood has to travel further (around the whole body). The right ventricle only has to pump blood to the lungs.
Why might someone be fitted with an artificial pacemaker?
- A group of cells in the right atrium act as a pacemaker to control the heart’s beating.
- Irregular heart rates can be corrected using electrical devices, known as artificial pacemakers.
Artery structure
- thicker outer wall
- thick layer of muscle and elastic fibres
- Narrow central tube (lumen)
- Smooth lining so no obstruction to the flow of blood
Blood vessels
- Blood flows around the body in a system of tube-like blood vessels arranged in such a way that they all eventually lead back to the heart
- The blood flows away from the heart in vessels called arteries and it flows back towards the heart in vessels called veins
- Joining the arteries and veins are the capillaries
- Types: veins, arteries, and capillaries
Adaptations and functions of the artery
- Carries blood away from the heart to the tissues
- Blood is at high pressure
- Blood is rich in oxygen, low in carbon dioxide (except in the pulmonary artery)
- Elastic walls expand and relax as blood is forced out of the heart . This causes the pulse that you can feel is you press an artery such as in the wrist
- Thick walls withstand the high pressure of blood to prevent the blood vessel from rupturing of bursting. Rings of muscle can narrow or widen the the artery and control the blood flow in it according to the body’s needs
Structure of the vein
- thin outer wall
- Thin layer of muscle and elastic fibres
- Wide central tube (lumen)
- Flap of watch pocket valve
Adaptations and functions of the vein
- Carries blood from the tissues to the heart
- Blood is at low pressure
- Blood is low in oxygen, high in carbon dioxide (except in the pulmonary vein
- Valves prevent the backflow of blood. Blood is at low pressure, but nearby muscles squeeze the veins and help push blood back towards the heart
- Large diameter and thin walls reduce resistance to the flow of blood
Flow of blood
- Right ventricle
- Pulmonary artery
- Lungs
- Pulmonary vein
- Left atrium
- Left ventricle
- Aorta
- Arteries
- Capillaries
- Body cells
- Capillaries
- Veins
- Vena Cava
- Right atrium
Pulmonary artery
unlike other arteries, this vessel carries deoxygenated blood which also has a high carbon dioxide concentration
vena cava
- the main vein of the body
2. returns deoxygenated blood at low pressure from organs and tissues to the heart