Arteries and Veins: Blood Circulation

Questions and Answers

To regulate blood pressure

To carry oxygenated blood away from the heart (correct)

To carry blood towards the heart

To exchange oxygen with the cells

The vena cava

The pulmonary artery (correct)

The capillaries

The aorta

Because deoxygenated blood is blue

Because of the optics of light passing through the skin (correct)

Because veins are depicted as blue in diagrams

Because oxygenated blood is red

To ensure blood flows in one direction Signup and view all the answers

15% Signup and view all the answers

Arteries have high pressure, while veins have low pressure Signup and view all the answers

To carry deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs Signup and view all the answers

To exchange oxygen with the cells Signup and view all the answers

65% Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Arteries carry blood away from the heart, while veins carry blood towards the heart.
This definition is not always accurate, as there is an exception in the case of the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs.
Arteries are often depicted as red in diagrams, while veins are depicted as blue, but this does not necessarily represent the oxygen content of the blood.
Deoxygenated blood is not blue, but rather a deeper red, and the blue color seen in veins is due to the optics of light passing through the skin.

Oxygenated blood is pumped away from the heart through the aorta and into the arteries.
The arteries branch into smaller vessels, eventually forming capillaries, where oxygen is exchanged with the cells.
The deoxygenated blood then returns to the heart through the veins.
The pulmonary artery is an exception, carrying deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs, where it becomes oxygenated again.
The oxygenated blood then returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins.

Arteries have high pressure due to being directly pumped by the heart.
Veins have low pressure, as the blood is not directly pumped and flows sluggishly back to the heart.
Arteries are low volume, while veins are high volume, with approximately 15% of the total blood volume in arteries and 65% in veins.
Valves in veins ensure that blood flows in one direction, despite the low pressure.

Arteries carry blood away from the heart, while veins carry blood towards the heart, except for the pulmonary artery.
The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs.

Oxygenated blood is pumped away from the heart through the aorta.
Arteries branch into smaller vessels, eventually forming capillaries, where oxygen is exchanged with cells.
Deoxygenated blood returns to the heart through veins.
The pulmonary artery is an exception, carrying deoxygenated blood to the lungs, where it becomes oxygenated again.
Oxygenated blood returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins.