Circulatory System

Circulatory system
Circulation
Learning intention
Understand how the circulatory system is
the transport system in the body
Success criteria
Explain the function of heart, blood vessels
and blood
Carries nutrients and oxygen to the
cells so that respiration can happen
Removes carbon dioxide from the

Job of the cells, taking it to the lungs where it is
exhaled
circulatory
system Transports other waste products to
there they can be disposed of
Distributes heat around the body. Heat

is a by-product of respiration.
Blood vessels:
arteries
Carry blood away from the heart.
When the heart beats, it pumps
blood through the arteries under
pressure
To be able to withstand the
pressure, the walls of the arteries
need to be tough and elastic,
bouncing back into shape after each
beat.
Injury to artery
If an artery is cut, then the high pressure within
it causes blood to spurt out very quickly.
Within a very short time, most of the blood
would be lost from the body.
All major arteries are protected deep in the
body.
In a few places, the regular expansion and
contraction of the arteries in response to the
heartbeat can be felt (pulse).
Bood vessels: capillaries
The finest of blood vessels are called

capillaries, they branch out from the
arteries.
Capillary walls are only one cell thick.
This allows dissolved materials to pass
through them.
Into the cell: materials needed by the cell
Out of the cell: wastes, they are carried back
towards the heart
Blood vessels: Veins
Veins carry blood back to the heart.

The pressure of the heartbeat is lost
as the blood flows through the very
narrow capillaries, so veins do not
need thick muscular walls like
arteries do.
Blood is pushed back up to the heart
by the contraction of the muscles
pressing against the veins.
To make sure that the blood flows in
one direction only, there are valves
along the length of the veins.
The valves open when the blood is flowing
towards the heart and close if the blood
flows away from it.
Not moving for a long time: blood may
thicken and form a dangerous blood clot
called a thrombus.
DVT (deep vein thrombus): is dangerous
because the clot can dislodge and be
carried away in the blood. It can get stuck
in the main artery to the lungs, reducing or
blocking their blood supply. May cause
death.
Valves
Bruises
Happens when some of the tiny capillaries near

the skin burst and the blood leaks out into the
surrounding tissue.
Red mark appears where blood has leaked into
the tissue.
The bruises turn purple and then fades to yellow
as the blood is broken down and cleared away by
the body.
Heart
About the size of your fist and
is situated in the middle of the
chest, behind the chest bone.
Specialised type of muscle:
cardiac muscle
Cardiac muscle does not get
tired like the other muscles
Cardiac muscle works
continuously in response to
signals from an area of the heart
called the pacemaker
The double system
In one circuit, blood flows from the
heart to the body. This circuit carries
nutrients and oxygen to the cells and
carbon dioxide and waste away from
the cells.
In the second circuit, blood flows from
the heart to the lungs and back again.
Deoxygenated blood: very little oxygen
but lots of waste carbon dioxide from
the cell
Oxygenated blood: oxygen-rich blood
right atrium
right ventricle
pulmonic valve
pulmonary artery (right)
pulmonary veins
left atrium
left ventricle
aortic valve
aorta
Example of heart dissection
The picture may be
confronting
Photo courtesy of Lilliput Station (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution
Structure of the
heart
The heart is divided in two by a thick
wall called the septum.
One half of the heart collects
oxygenated blood from the lungs and
pumps it around the body.
The other half collects deoxygenated
blood from the body and pumps it to
the lungs
Each half is split into two chambers.
Four chambers overall.
Blood enters from the atrium and exits
the ventricle.
Heartbeat
Three main phases.
1. The two atria contract,
pushing blood down into the
ventricles
2. The ventricles contract,
forcing blood out of the heart
to the body and lungs.
3. The heart muscle relaxes and
the atria fill with blood
Practice: WS 3.6 page 41
ECG:
electrocardiogram
Heart disease
Healthy arteries are smooth and the blood flows

easily
Blood flow can be reduced by a build-up of plaque
on the inner walls which narrows the arteries.
Reduced blood flow means reduced oxygen
supply to the heart muscles
Angina: severe chest pain, limited oxygen supply
to the heart
Heart attack: the arteries become completely
blocked and the part of the heart that the arteries
normally supply with oxygen dies
Made from various substances that occur
naturally in the heart.
Plaque
For example: cholesterol, calcium and fibrin
(involved in blood clotting)
Damage to the arteries lead to inflammation
Cholesterol is a fatty acid moved to the
inflamed area to protect it
Too much animal fat in the diet can also lead
to build up of cholesterol in the blood
Ongoing research about why inflammation
occurs
Blood
The only organ in your body that
exists as liquid
Average-sized adults: 5 litres of
blood
Blood components
Separated by centrifuge (year 7

separation techniques)
Made in the bond marrow of long bones
such as the femur (thigh bone) and ribs
Contains Haemoglobin that gives it the
red colour
Haemoglobin contains iron and its job is
to carry oxygen around the body. Red blood cells
White blood
cells
Bigger than red blood

cells
Part of the immune
system to fight diseases
Platelets
Broken-up bits of cells
produced in the bone marrow
Help clot the blood
Not enough platelets can cause
excessive bleeding
Too many platelets can cause
blood clots (lead to angina and
heat attack or stroke if it is in
the brain)
Plasma
Clear yellowish liquid that is

90% water
The other 10% is dissolved
materials such as nutrients and
wastes
Red blood cells, white blood
cells and platelets suspend in
the plasma
3.3 Review questions 1-9, 10-14

Circulatory System

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Circulatory system

Removes carbon dioxide from the

Distributes heat around the body. Heat

The finest of blood vessels are called

Veins carry blood back to the heart.

Happens when some of the tiny capillaries near

pulmonary artery (right)

Healthy arteries are smooth and the blood flows

Separated by centrifuge (year 7

Bigger than red blood

Clear yellowish liquid that is

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