Chapter 14: Circulatory and Respiratory Systems

[PHAN] Vocabulary flashcards for the circulatory and respiratory systems test

cardiovascular system

The body's highway network that consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood and carries needed substances to cells and carries waste products away from cells.

heart

A hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body.

atrium

(singular) Each of the two upper chambers that receives blood that comes in to the heart.

pacemaker

Group of heart cells that sends out signals that make the heart muscle contract.

ventricle

(singular) Each lower chamber of the heart that pumps blood out of the heart.

valve

A flap of tissue that prevents blood from flowing backward.

arteries

(plural) Blood vessels that carries blood away from the heart.

capillaries

(plural) Tiny, narrow blood vessels where substances are exchanged between the blood and body cells.

veins

(plural) Blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.

aorta

The largest artery in the body.

coronary artery

Branches off the aorta that carries blood to the heart itself.

pulse

The alternating expansion and relaxation of the artery wall.

diffusion

The process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

pressure

Force per unit area.

blood pressure

Force exerted against the walls of the blood vessels.

plasma

The liquid part of the blood.

red blood cells

(plural) Cells that take up oxygen in the lungs and deliver it to cells elsewhere in the body.

hemoglobin

An iron-containing protein that binds chemically to oxygen molecules.

white blood cells

(plural) The body's disease fighters.

platelets

(plural) Cell fragments that play an important part in forming blood clots.

shock

The failure of the circulatory system to provide an adequate supply of oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body.

lymphatic system

A network of veinlike vessels that returns the fluid to the bloodstream.

lymph

Fluid inside the lymphatic system which consists of water and dissolved materials, such as glucose.

lymph nodes

Small knobs of tissue that filter lymph, trapping bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms in the fluid.

respiration

The process in which oxygen and glucose undergo a complex series of chemical reactions inside cells.

mucus

A thick, sticky liquid that moistens the air and keeps the lining of the nose from drying out.

cilia

(plural) Tiny hairlike extensions that move together in a sweeping motion.

pharynx

The throat.

trachea

The windpipe.

bronchi

(plural) The passages that direct air into the lungs.

lungs

(plural) The main organs of the respiratory system.

alveoli

(plural) Tiny sacs of lung tissue specialized for the movement of gases between air and blood.

diaphragm

A large, dome-shaped muscle that plays an important role in breathing.

larynx

The voice box located in the top part of the trachea underneath the epiglottis.

vocal cords

(plural) Folds of connective tissue that produce your voice.

atherosclerosis

A condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the buildup of fatty materials.

heart attack

Occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked.

hypertension

High blood pressure or a disorder in which a person's blood pressure is consistently higher than normal.

stroke

The death of brain tissue that can result when a blood vessel in the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts.

emphysema

A serious disease that destroys lung tissue and causes breathing difficulties

bronchitis

An irritation of the breathing passages in which the small passages become narrower than normal and may be clogged with mucus.

asthma

A disorder in which the airways in the lungs narrow significantly.

suffocation

Occurs when there is insufficient gas exchange in the lungs.

pneumonia

An infection that causes fluid to collect in the alveoli, decreasing the lungs' ability to take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.