Blood Vessels Flashcards
What are the three types of blood vessel?
Arteries - they carry blood away from the heart
Capillaries - they are involved in the exchange of materials at the tissues
Veins - They carry blood into the heart
What are the arteries
It is a blood vessel that carries blood under pressure so the artery walls are strong and elastic
The walls are thick compared to the size of the hole down the middle called lumen
They contain thick layers of muscle to make them strong and elastic fibres allow them to stretch and spring back
What are the capillaries
Arteries branch into them
Capillaries are very tiny too small to see
The carry the blood really close to every cell in the body to exchange substances with them
They have permeable walls so substances can diffuse in and out
They supply food and oxygen and takes away waste like carbon dioxide
Their walls are only one cell thick
What are the veins
They take blood back to the heart
They have a bigger lumen then arteries to help the blood flow despite the lower pressure
They also have valves to keep blood flowing in the right direction
How can you calculate blood flow rate
Rate of blood flow=Volume of blood/number of minutes
Describe how veins are adapted to carry blood back to the heart
They have a big lumen to help the blood flow despite the low pressure and they have valves to keep the blood flowing in the right direction
