Circulatory system

  • Q: What is the main function of the cardiovascular system?
    A: Deliver oxygenated blood to tissues and remove wastes.

  • Q: What are the two circulatory circuits?
    A: Pulmonary and systemic.

  • Q: What does the pulmonary circuit do?
    A: Moves blood from heart → lungs → heart.

  • Q: What does the systemic circuit do?
    A: Moves blood from heart → body → heart.

  • Q: Which side of the heart pumps to the lungs?
    A: Right side.

  • Q: Which side of the heart pumps to the body?
    A: Left side.

  • Q: Why is the left side of the heart larger/thicker?
    A: It pumps blood farther to the whole body.

  • Q: Where is the heart located?
    A: Mediastinum in the thoracic cavity.

  • Q: What is the apex of the heart?
    A: The pointed inferior tip.

  • Q: What is the base of the heart?
    A: The broad superior end.

  • Q: Name the 4 chambers of the heart.
    A: Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle.

  • Q: What do atria mainly do?
    A: Receive blood.

  • Q: What do ventricles mainly do?
    A: Pump blood out of the heart.

  • Q: What separates the two atria?
    A: Interatrial septum.

  • Q: What fetal remnant is found in the interatrial septum?
    A: Fossa ovalis.

  • Q: What separates the two ventricles?
    A: Interventricular septum.

  • Q: What surface groove separates atria from ventricles?
    A: Coronary sulcus.

  • Q: What brings deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart?
    A: Superior vena cava.

  • Q: What brings deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the heart?
    A: Inferior vena cava.

  • Q: Where does deoxygenated blood enter first in the heart?
    A: Right atrium.

  • Q: What valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle?
    A: Tricuspid valve.

  • Q: What structures anchor AV valves to the ventricle?
    A: Chordae tendineae.

  • Q: What muscles attach to the chordae tendineae?
    A: Papillary muscles.

  • Q: From the right ventricle, blood exits through which valve?
    A: Pulmonary semilunar valve.

  • Q: The pulmonary semilunar valve opens into what vessel?
    A: Pulmonary trunk.

  • Q: The pulmonary trunk splits into what vessels?
    A: Right and left pulmonary arteries.

  • Q: What do pulmonary arteries carry?
    A: Deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

  • Q: What vessels bring oxygenated blood back to the heart?
    A: Pulmonary veins.

  • Q: Where does oxygenated blood enter the heart?
    A: Left atrium.

  • Q: What valve is between the left atrium and left ventricle?
    A: Mitral (bicuspid) valve.

  • Q: From the left ventricle, blood exits through which valve?
    A: Aortic semilunar valve.

  • Q: Blood leaving the left ventricle enters what vessel?
    A: Aorta.

  • Q: What are coronary arteries for?
    A: Supply oxygenated blood to heart muscle.

  • Q: Where do coronary arteries originate?
    A: From the aorta.

  • Q: What is the function of veins?
    A: Carry blood toward the heart.

  • Q: What is the function of arteries?
    A: Carry blood away from the heart.

  • Q: Name the 3 layers of arteries and veins.
    A: Tunica externa, tunica media, tunica interna.

  • Q: Which vessel layer is thicker in arteries than veins?
    A: Tunica media.

  • Q: Why do veins have valves?
    A: To prevent backflow and ensure flow to the heart.

  • Q: What are capillaries specialized for?
    A: Exchange of gases, nutrients, and wastes.

  • Q: Capillaries have walls made of what?
    A: One layer of simple squamous epithelium.

  • Q: Name the 3 main branches off the aortic arch.
    A: Brachiocephalic, left common carotid, left subclavian.

  • Q: The brachiocephalic artery splits into what?
    A: Right common carotid and right subclavian.

  • Q: Internal carotid supplies what?
    A: Brain.

  • Q: External carotid supplies what?
    A: Face/neck structures.

  • Q: What artery also supplies the brain through vertebrae?
    A: Vertebral artery.

  • Q: Subclavian becomes what artery in the armpit region?
    A: Axillary artery.

  • Q: Axillary becomes what major arm artery?
    A: Brachial artery.

  • Q: Brachial divides into what two arteries?
    A: Radial and ulnar.

  • Q: Abdominal aorta divides into what?
    A: Right and left common iliac arteries.

  • Q: External iliac becomes what major leg artery?
    A: Femoral artery.

  • Q: Femoral becomes what behind the knee?
    A: Popliteal artery.

  • Q: Popliteal divides into what?
    A: Anterior and posterior tibial arteries.

  • Q: What is diastole?
    A: Relaxation of heart chambers.

  • Q: What is systole?
    A: Contraction of heart chambers.

  • Q: In the rest phase, which valves are open?
    A: AV (tricuspid and mitral) valves.

  • Q: In the rest phase, which valves are closed?
    A: Semilunar (aortic and pulmonary) valves.

  • Q: What causes the “lub” (S1) heart sound?
    A: Closure of AV valves.

  • Q: What causes the “dub” (S2) heart sound?
    A: Closure of semilunar valves.

  • Q: What are the 3 main processes of hemostasis?
    A: Vessel spasm, platelet plug formation, clotting.