Blood vessels

• What are the 3 blood vessels?

  • Arteries
  • veins
  • capillaries
• Arteries

  • ROLE: to carry mostly oxygenated blood away from the heart through the aorta
  • CHARACTERISITICS:
  • contain blood at high pressure
  • thick, elastic muscular walls
  • pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs
• Veins

  • ROLE: to carry mostly deoxygenated blood back to the heart from all over the body
  • CHARACTERISTICS:
  • contain blood under low pressure
  • thinner walls than arteries
  • valves to prevent a back flow of blood
  • pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood back to the heart
• Capillaries

  • ROLE: small blood vessels that link the arteries to the veins
  • Place of gas exchange
  • CHARACTERISTICS:
  • only one cell thick