Cardiovascular: Blood Flow

inferior and superior vena cava

largest veins; carry deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart

right atrium

Receives deoxygenated blood from the SVC/IVC. Once it fills with blood, it contracts to send the blood through the

tricuspid valve

valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle.Valve opens when the R atrium contracts

right ventricle

Receives blood from R atrium. Once filled, R atrium contracts and pushes blood through the

pulmonary valve

heart valve opening from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. Opens when the R Ventricle contracts

pulmonary artery

Carries deoxygentated blood from the R side of the heart to the lungs

Lungs

main organs of the respiratory system, where gas exchange takes place. Gas exchange is the process by which oxygen and carbon dioxide move between the bloodstream and the lungs. Inhaled oxygen moves from the alveoli to the blood in the capillaries, and carbon dioxide moves from the deoxygenated blood in the capillaries to the air in the alveoli.

Capillaries

The pulmonary artery branches into capillaries surrounding the alveoli, allowing for gas exchange.

Alveoli

gas transport

Oxygen from inhaled air passes through the thin walls of alveoli into surrounding capillaries, while carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses from capillaries into the alveoli to be exhaled.

O2 concentration is higher in the lungs than in the blood, so O2 diffuses into blood.

CO2 concentration in the blood is higher than in the lungs, so CO2 diffuses out of blood.

pulmonary veins

Deliver oxygen rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium

left atrium

receives oxygenated blood from the lungs. When it fills, it will contract to send blood through the

mitral valve

valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle. Mitral valve opens when the L atrium contracts

left ventricle

Receives blood from the L atrium. When the L ventricle fills, it will contract to push blood throug the

Aortic valve

located between the left ventricle and the aorta. Opens wwhen the L ventricle contracts

Aorta

The large arterial trunk that carries blood from the heart to be distributed by branch arteries through the body.

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart

Arterioles

Ateries branch into arterioles. They are small vessels that receive blood and deliver it to the

Capillaries

Narrowest and most numerous blood vessels that form a network between the arterioles and venules to complete gas exchange.

internal respiration

Exchange of gases between oxygen rich capillaries and the tissues of the body where oxygen is delivered and carbon dioxide is collected.

Venules

small vessels that gather blood from the capillaries and branch into the

Veins

Blood vessels that carry blood from the venules back to the heart

inferior and superior vena cava

largest veins; carry oxygen-poor blood from smaller veins back to the heart

systemic circulation

circulation that supplies blood to all the body except to the lungs

pulmonary circulation

flow of blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart

Cardiac circulation

The circulation of blood around the heart only

coronary arteries

blood vessels that branch from the aorta and carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle

vasoconstriction

the constriction of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure.

vasodilation

A widening of the diameter of a blood vessel, which decreases blood pressure.