blood vessels

Question 1

what are the 3 types of blood vessels?

Answer 1

arteries, veins, capillaries

Question 2

describe the flow of blood from an artery to a vein

Answer 2

artery, arterioles, capillaries, surrounding tissue, vein

Question 3

in which type of blood vessels are gases exchanged with surrounding tissue?

Answer 3

capillaries

Question 4

why is it helpful for capillaries to only have one cell layer?

Answer 4

for easy exchange of gases

Question 5

what three cell layers are found in arteries & veins? describe each

Answer 5

tunica intima (slippery, thin layer), tunica media (thicker layer of muscle), tunica externa (fibrous connective tissue to support & protect)

Question 6

describe arteries

Answer 6

thick walls, receive blood from the heart under high pressure

Question 7

describe veins

Answer 7

thin walls, receive blood from tissues under low pressure

Question 8

how do veins maintain blood pressure?

Answer 8

muscular pumping (as muscles contract, blood is squeezed through the veins), and respiratory pumping (the expansion of the chest during inhalation)

Question 9

what are the two portions of the capillary? describe each

Answer 9

shunt (a shortcut from the artery to the vein) & true capillaries (all the tiny portions that exchange gases w/ tissues)

Question 10

how can capillary sphincters restrict blood flow?

Answer 10

restrict the flow of blood to the tissues when blood is needed elsewhere