Blood vessels

• Blood vessels

  Tubes that blood travels around the body in
• If blood vessels were laid end to end, they would encircle the Earth two and a half times
• The average sized human has about 5 litres of blood in their bodies
• veins have,thinner walls and valves that prevent the blood from flowing backwards
• smallest blood vessels are called capillaries.
• Capillaries


  • They are very important blood vessels
  • They carry materials such as oxygen and nutrients to the cells
  • They carry wastes such as carbon dioxide away
• Artery wall

  • Elastic tissue allows the vessel to 'give' as blood surges through
  • Stretches as a result of high blood pressure
  • Elastic recoil pushes the blood on its way
• High blood pressure


  Artery wall stretches
• Elastic recoil of artery wall

  Pushes the blood on its way
• Pulse


  • Can be felt where arteries travel near the skin surface