Unit 15: Transport Systems in Living Things Flashcards
What is the heart?
The heart is a muscular pump that contracts and relaxes to have a pumping action, circulating the blood around the body quickly and continuously.
What is blood?
Blood is a fluid tissue consisting of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
What is the function of plasma?
Plasma transports water and dissolved substances such a digested food molecules, mineral salts and metabolic waste products to different parts of the body.
What is the function of red blood cells?
Red blood cells transport oxygen to different parts of the body.
What is the function of white blood cells?
White blood cells serve a protective function as they help the body fight infections.
What is the function of platelets?
Platelets are involved in blood clotting to prevent excessive loss of blood during injury.
What is an artery?
Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. They also carry blood rich in digested food molecules absorbed from the small intestine.
What is a vein?
Veins carry deoxygenated blood towards the heart from the rest of the body.
What is a capillary?
Capillaries allow exchange of substances from blood to cells and vice versa.
What is the xylem?
The xylem transports water and mineral salts from the roots to all parts of the plant in an upwards direction.
What is the phloem?
The phloem transports sugar from the leaves to all parts of the plant in both an upwards and downwards direction.
What is diffusion?
Diffusion is the net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration.
What is osmosis?
Osmosis is the net movement of water molecules from a region of high water potential to a region of low water potential through a partially permeable membrane.
