Cardiovascular System: Heart, Blood Vessels, Blood

Cardiovascular System

• Transports blood, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones, and waste products throughout the body.
• The main components are the heart, blood vessels, and blood.

Heart

• A muscular organ that pumps blood.
• It has four chambers: the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.
• The right side pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
• The left side pumps oxygenated blood to the body.

Blood Vessels

• Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart, with the exception of the pulmonary artery.
• Veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart, with the exception of the pulmonary vein.
• Capillaries are tiny vessels where gas and nutrient exchange occurs.

Blood

• Composed of red blood cells, which carry oxygen.
• White blood cells function in immune defense.
• Platelets are responsible for clotting.
• Plasma is the fluid that carries nutrients and waste.

Circulatory Loops

• Pulmonary circulation refers to blood flow between the heart and lungs.
• Systemic circulation refers to blood flow between the heart and the rest of the body.

Respiratory System

• Facilitates gas exchange, bringing oxygen into the body and removing carbon dioxide.
• The main components are the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, lungs, and diaphragm.

Nasal Cavity

• Filters, warms, and moistens incoming air.

Pharynx and Larynx

• A pathway for air; the larynx houses vocal cords.

Trachea

• The windpipe that directs air to the lungs.

Bronchi and Bronchioles

• Branching airways leading to alveoli in the lungs.

Lungs

• Contain alveoli, which are tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs via diffusion.
• Oxygen moves into the bloodstream, and carbon dioxide moves out.

Diaphragm

• A muscle that aids in breathing by contracting and relaxing to change lung volume.

Breathing Process

• During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts, the chest cavity expands, and air flows in.
• During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, the chest cavity reduces, and air flows out.

Connection Between Systems

• The respiratory system provides oxygen to the blood in the cardiovascular system.
• The cardiovascular system transports oxygen-rich blood to tissues and removes carbon dioxide for exhalation via the respiratory system.
• Both systems work together to maintain homeostasis.
• Proper functioning is essential for delivering oxygen to cells and removing waste products like carbon dioxide.

Overview of the cardiovascular system including its function to transport blood, nutrients, and waste. The main components are the heart, blood vessels, and blood. Discussion includes the heart's chambers, types of blood vessels, blood composition, and circulatory loops.