Bio 107L - Chapter 12

The Circulatory System & Connective Tissues

Cardiovascular system

Consists of the heart and a closed system of vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries)

Function of cardiovascular system

 transporting oxygen & nutrients to every tissue/cell in the body (via blood) and removing wastes from those cells

Heart

serves as the muscular pump that is constantly contracting to move blood throughout the body

Arteries

 carries blood away from the heart

Veins

return blood to heart

Capillaries

smallest blood vessels, where gas/nutrient exchange takes place

Parts of heart

Right atrium, vena cava, right ventricle, pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, left atrium, left ventricle, aorta

Right atrium

receives deoxygenated blood from vena cava

Vena cava

sends deoxygenated blood to the right atriu

Right ventricle

Blood moves passively into it, and it contracts to push blood into the pulmonary artery

Pulmonary artery

Gets blood pumped from the right ventricle, and pushes the blood to the lungs

Pulmonary veins

bring oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium

Left atrium

Receives oxygenated blood passively from the lungs through pulmonary veins

Left ventricle

Blood moves passively through it, and it contracts to push the blood into the aorta, which goes to the rest of the body

Aorta

Gets blood from the left ventricle and pumps the blood to the rest of the body

Heart rate/pulse rate

# of contractions of the heart per minute

Blood pressure

the force of blood against blood vessel walls

When measuring blood pressue the top number is ___, and the bottom one is ___.

systolic pressure, diastolic pressure

Systolic pressure

pressure in the arteries when the ventricles contract

Diastolic pressure

pressure in the arteries when the ventricles relax