Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What are the 3 types of blood cells carried in plasma?
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets
What are the 3 types of blood vessels?
Arteries
Capillaries
Veins
What are 2 differences in the makeup of arteries & veins?
Veins have valves arteries don’t
Arteries are larger than veins
Arteries have thicker walls than veins which allows it to expand(arteries are elastic)
Why are platelets important to your body?
They prevent the body’s loss of blood
(Smallest type of blood cell)
(Begin to clot when they come in contact with damaged blood vessels)
What is the role of the white blood cells?
Main function is to protect the body against infection & to fight it when it occurs
What is the largest artery?
The aorta
What is the oxygen-carrying part of blood?
Red blood cells
What are arteries?
Largest vessels, they carry blood away from the heart & they branch into smaller arteries called arterioles
What do capillaries lead to?
Capillaries lead to small venules that begin to collect blood, venules join to form veins
What are veins?
vessels that return blood back to the heart; veins are thin & have valves to direct blood flow against gravity
What do capillaries do?
Connect arterioles & venules to form a branching network to all body tissues. Through thin capillary walls nutrients & oxygen pass from blood to body cells & waste products move from the cells into the blood
What are the functions of the cardiovascular system?
1) taking needed oxygen & nutrients to body cells
2) carrying the gas carbon dioxide to the lungs & other waste to the kidneys
What is the heart composed of?
A special type of muscle called myocardium
What are the right & left sides of the heart divided by?
Septum, a thick wall of muscle
What does each side of the heart have?
2 chambers
Atrium & ventricl
