Heart and Blood Vessels Flashcards
What are the structures of the right side of the heart?
- Superior/inferior vena cava
- Right atrium
- Atrioventricular valve (tricuspid)
- Right ventricle
- Semi-lunar valve (pulmonary valve)
- Pulmonary artery
What are the structures of the left side of the heart?
- Pulmonary veins
- Left atrium
- Atrioventricular valve (bicuspid)
- Left ventricle
- Semi-lunar valve (aortic valve)
- Aorta
Describe and explain the features of the left ventricle.
It has thicker, more muscular walls as it needs to contract more powerfully to pump blood at a high pressure around the body.
Why do ventricles have thicker walls than the atria?
They have to push blood out of the heart at a high pressure whereas the atria only have to pump blood into the ventricles.
What are the functions of the valves?
- Prevent backflow of blood
- Help blood flow in one direction
Describe and explain the features of the arteries.
- Thick-walled
- Muscular
- Lots of elastic tissue
- Folded endothelium that can expand
- All of the above allow arteries to cope with high BP
Describe and explain the features of the veins.
- Wider than arteries
- Little muscle and elastic tissue
- Valves
- Blood is at low pressure
- Contraction of muscles helps blood flow through veins
What is the function of the arteries?
To carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body
What is the function of the veins?
To carry blood to the heart from the body
What is the function of the capillaries?
To carry out metabolic exchange (the exchange of oxygen/carbon dioxide and nutrients with cells)
How are the capillaries adapted to aid their main function?
- Capillary beds in tissues increase SA for exchange
- One cell thick to decrease diffusion pathway and increase rate of diffusion of substances in and out of cells
