The circulatory system Flashcards
What are the three types of blood vessels?
Arteries, veins, and capillaries
What is the primary function of the heart?
Pumps blood around the circulatory system
What does the circulatory system consist of?
The heart and all the blood vessels in the body
What do arteries do?
Carry blood away from the heart
What pressure is blood in arteries under?
High pressure
What are the characteristics of artery walls?
Thick muscle, elastic
What do veins do?
Carry blood back to the heart
What pressure is blood in veins under?
Lower pressure
What are the characteristics of vein walls?
Thinner muscle, less elastic
What prevents blood from flowing backwards in veins?
One-way valves
What are capillaries?
Tiny blood vessels that carry substances to and from cells
What substances do capillaries carry?
- Oxygen
- Glucose
- Waste products like carbon dioxide
What is the function of capillary walls?
Allow substances to move by diffusion
What are the two types of chambers in the heart?
Atria and ventricles
What are the top chambers of the heart called?
Atria
What are the bottom chambers of the heart called?
Ventricles
What is the role of the atria in the heart?
Collect blood and pump it to the ventricles
What is the role of the ventricles in the heart?
Pump blood to the body
What is a double circulatory system?
Blood passes through the heart twice on each loop around the body
What is the path blood takes in the double circulatory system?
Heart to lungs to heart to the rest of the body
What is the figure of eight system?
Another term for the double circulatory system
Fill in the blank: Capillaries join your arteries to your _______.
Veins
