Blood Vessels Flashcards
where do arteries take blood
away from the heart
what are arterioles
arteries branch off into arterioles and they connect the capillaries and arteries
where do veins take blood
into the heart
compare the muscular layer between arteries and veins
arteries have a thicker muscular layer than veins
- arteries can constrict and dilate so have a better control over the flow of blood whereas veins have relatively thin walls so less control
describe the elastic layer between the arteries and veins
arteries have thicker walls to help maintain blood pressure > walls can stretch and recoil
- veins have a thin elastic layer because is lower
compare the wall thickness between veins and arteries
arteries have thicker walls to withstand the high blood pressure whereas the veins have=have thinner walls because the pressure is much lower so theres a lower risk of bursting
do arteries and veins have valves
arteries NO
veins YES
why is blood flow so slow in capillaries
they are one cell thick so only one red blood cell can fit through the lumen at a time
why is the small diameter of capillaries an advantage
slower blood flow = more time for gas exchange
what connects arteries and capillaries
arterioles
describe the muscular layer in arterioles and why
thicker than the muscular layer in arteries
- helps to constrict blood flow into the capillaries
describe the elastic layer of the arterioles
thinner than the arteries as pressure is lower
describe overall wall thickness in arterioles
thinner than arteries as the pressure is slightly lower
describe muscular and elastic layer in capillaries
no muscle or elastic layer
