Cardiovascular system vocab

Question 1

Cardiovascular, Circulatory System

Answer 1

A closed-circuit system composed of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.

Question 2

Artery

Answer 2

A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to vital organs and the extremities.

Question 3

Capillaries

Answer 3

The smallest blood vessels that supply blood to the tissues, and the site of all gas and nutrient exchange in the cardiovascular system. They connect the arterial and venous systems.

Question 4

Veins

Answer 4

Blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood toward the heart from vital organs and the extremities.

Question 5

Blood

Answer 5

The fluid component of the cardiovascular system that links the internal environment of the body to the external environment by transporting materials between the two environments as well as among the various cells and tissues. Therefore, its primary function is transportation.

Question 6

Plasma

Answer 6

The liquid portion of the blood responsible for carrying hormones, plasma proteins, food materials (e.g., carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids), ions (e.g., sodium, chloride, bicarbonate), and gases (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide) throughout the body.

Question 7

Platelets

Answer 7

One of the disc-shaped components of the blood; involved in clotting.

Question 8

Arterioles

Answer 8

Small-diameter blood vessels that extend and branch out from an artery and lead to capillaries; the primary site of vascular resistance.

Question 9

Venules

Answer 9

Smaller divisions of veins.

Question 10

Aorta

Answer 10

The major artery of the cardiovascular system; arises from the left ventricle of the heart.

Question 11

Arteriosclerosis

Answer 11

A chronic disease in which thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls result in impaired blood circulation; develops with again, and in hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and other conditions.

Question 12

Interstitial Fluid

Answer 12

Fluid between the cells or body parts.

Question 13

Heart

Answer 13

Serves as a pump, pushing blood throughout the body; located between the lungs and lies just left of center, behind the sternum; divided into four chambers, and is often considered two chambers in one, as the right two chambers are responsible for pulmonary circulation and the left two chambers are responsible for systemic circulation.

Question 14

Ventricles (Propulsion Chambers)

Answer 14

The two lower chambers of the heart (right and left ventricles).

Question 15

Atria (Receiving Chambers)

Answer 15

The two upper chambers of the heart (right and left atrium).

Question 16

Interventricular Septum

Answer 16

Muscular wall that separates the right and left sides of the heart, preventing the mixing of blood from the two sides of the heart.

Question 17

Pulmonary Circuit

Answer 17

The circulatory vessels of the lungs; involved in the circulation of blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs and back to the left atrium of the heart.

Question 18

Systemic Circuit

Answer 18

The circulatory vessels of the body.

Question 19

Cardiac Cycle

Answer 19

The period from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next heartbeat; the systolic and diastolic phases and the interval in between.

Question 20

Systole

Answer 20

The contraction phase of the cardiac cycle.

Question 21

Diastole

Answer 21

The period of filling of the heart between contractions; resting phase of the heart.

Question 22

Red blood cells

Answer 22

contain hemoglobin and carry oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues. transports oxygen to the cells and removes carbon dioxide

Question 23

White blood cells

Answer 23

fight off infections and keep the body healthy. special cells in the blood.