Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What does the Cardiovascular System consist of?
- The Heart (Pumps Bloody Around the Body)
- Blood (Transports Gasses, Blood Cells and Nutrients)
- Blood Vessels (Carry the Blood)
What are the functions of the Cardiovascular System?
- Transport of Nutrients
- Transport of Oxygen
- Transport of Carbon Dioxide
- Clotting of Open Wounds
- Regulation of Body Temperature
What does it mean when ‘Transport of Nutrients’ is said?
- Nutrients we eat are Broken Down from the Food we eat and Transported to the Body in the Blood
What does it mean when ‘Transport of Oxygen’ is said?
- It Transports Oxygen Around the Body in the Blood
- Oxygen is Needed to Provide Energy to the Working Muscles during Aerobic Exercise
What does it mean when ‘Transport of Carbon Dioxide’ is said?
- Carbon Dioxide is Produced as a By-Product during Energy Production
- It takes Carbon Dioxide away from the Muscles to the Lungs and Exhaled
What does it mean when ‘Clotting of Open Wounds’ is said?
- Blood Contains Blood Cells called Platelets
- They are Transported in the Blood
- They Help to Clot Wounds by Performing a Plug to Prevent Blood Loss
What does it mean when ‘Regulation of Body Temperature’ is said?
- Blood Vessels can Help Regulate Body Temperature
- When we get, Hot Blood Vessels Near the Skin get Bigger (Vasodilation) This will Increase Blood Flow so Heat can Radiate from the Skin
- When we get Cold, Blood Vessels Near the Skin get Smaller (Vasoconstriction) This will Decrease Blood Flow so Less Heat is Lost Through Radiation
What is Vascular Shunting?
- When we Exercise Blood is Redistributed
- The Working Muscles need more Oxygen than other Inactive Areas of the Body such as the Stomach
- Blood is Diverted Away from Inactive Areas to the Working Muscles
What is Vasoconstriction?
- Blood Vessels Constrict to make them Smaller
- Chemical Changes Signal the Nervous System to Constrict Blood Vessels to Inactive Areas
What is Vasodilation?
- The Blood Vessels Dilate to make them Bigger
- Chemical Changes Signal the Nervous System to Dilate Blood Vessels that Supply Active Areas
What does the Septum do?
- Separates the Right and Left Sides of the Heart
What do Valves do?
- Prevents the Backflow of the Blood
What do Veins do?
- Takes Blood Towards the Heart
What do Arteries do?
- Takes Blood Away from the Heart
What does the Pulmonary Artery do?
- Takes Blood to the Lungs
What does the Pulmonary Vein do?
- Takes Blood From the Lungs back to the Heart
What does the Aorta do?
- Delivers Oxygenated Blood to the Body
What is the Structure of an Artery?
- Thick Muscular Walls
- Thick Elastic Walls
- Small Lumen (Internal Diameter)
- Carry Blood at High Pressure
- Carries Blood away from the Heart
- Usually carries Oxygenates Blood (Except the Pulmonary Artery)
What is the structure of a Vein?
- Thin Walls
- Large Lumen (Internal Diameter)
- Carries Blood at Low Pressure
- Contains Valves
- Mainly Carry Deoxygenates Blood (Except the Pulmonary Vein)
What is the structure of a Capillary?
- Very Thin Walls
- Small Lumen (Internal Diameter)
- Link Smaller Arteries with Small Veins
- Allow Gaseous Exchange
What are the Components/Functions of Blood?
- Red Blood Cells
- White Blood Cells
- Platelets
- Plasma
What do Red Blood Cells do?
- Carry Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
- Oxygen Binds with Haemoglobin in the Blood. It’s then Transported to Working Muscles by the Plasma
- Waste Product Carbon Dioxide is also Transported by Red Blood Cells, it is also Carries by the Plasma
What do White Blood Cells do?
- Fight Infection and Disease
- When Playing Sport, they Prevent Infection if we get Cut or Scratched
- Keep us Healthy so we are Fit to Train and do Physical Activity
What do Platelets do?
- Help Prevent Bleeding by Clotting (Sticking Together) and Forming a Plug
- It allows Performers such as Boxers to Stop the Bleeding if they get a Cut, Allowing them to Continue Performing
