The Heart and Blood Vessels (blood pressure and valves) Flashcards
What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force the blood exerts against the wall of a blood vessel
What is the force that blood exerts against the wall of a blood vessel called?
Blood pressure
What does a valve control?
A valve controls the direction of blood flow
What controls the direction of blood flow?
Valves
In what type of blood vessel is blood pressure the highest?
In the arteries
When is blood pressure in the arteries the highest?
When the heart contracts
What does the high pressure caused by the contracting of the heart do to an artery?
This pressure causes the artery to expand slightly
How does the contracting of the heart cause arteries to expand slightly?
As the contracting of the heart causes high blood pressures
What can the expansion of the arteries due to the contracting of the heart be detected as?
A pulse
In what blood vessel is blood pressure very low?
In veins
What helps to push blood in the veins back to the heart?
Physical activity
What does physical activity do to the blood in veins?
Physical activity helps to push blood in the veins back to the heart
How does physical activity help to push blood in veins back to the heart?
This happens when ordinary body muscle contracts
What is the function of valves in veins?
2
To prevent the backflow of blood as blood pressure is low in veins
This ensures blood only flows towards the heart
Do arteries have valves?
No
