Circulatory System

How does blood get to different parts of your body? How do oxygen and nutrients get to your cells? And what makes it so waste and carbon dioxide doesn't build up in your cells making you sick?


All of those questions are answered thanks to the Circulatory System!


A lot of the credit goes to the heart.

The heart sends blood around your body. Your blood has lots of nutrients and oxygen that the body needs to thrive. Blood also carries away waste. Your heart fills with blood and then with each pump it squirts it through  the artery, sending all throughout your body. Your heart should get a lot of credit. It pumps day and night, constantly, keeping you alive. 

The heart has 4 chambers. The two upper chambers are the left and right atria. The two lower chambers are the left and right ventricles.

There is a valve separating each atrium from the ventricle. That way blood only flows from atrium to atrium and ventricle to ventricle.


Veins (blood vessels that move blood to the heart), have a one-way valve to keep blood moving toward the heart. If there is a backward movement of the blood, the pressure of the blood closes the valves. Veins that are near skeletal muscles are squeezed when these muscles contract. This action helps blood move toward the heart. blood in veins carries waste materials from cells and is therefore low in oxygen.

Artery (Left) Vein (Right)
Capillaries are microscopic blood vessels that connect arteries and veins. The walls of the capillaries are only one cell thick. Nutrients and oxygen diffuse to body cells through the thin capillary walls. Waste materials and carbon dioxide move from body cells into the capillaries to be carried back to the heart.

Capillaries

To take care of your Circulatory System, you shouldn't eat foods that are high in cholesterol or saturated fats. You shouldn't smoke, try to reduce your stress, and with most systems, you need to exercise so you don' become overweight.

Pictures Found At

http://carolguze.com/text/102-19-tissuesorgansystems.shtml   (circulatory system)

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/heart.htm  (heart)

http://cardioanatomy.tumblr.com/post/4672205732/arteries-vs-veins-arteries-arteries-have-three  (vein and artery)

http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/ss/capillary.htm   (capillary)

http://www.whokilledbambi.co.uk/2011/02/teddy-bear-blood-bag/   (blood bag)

http://inspirations786.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/four-chambers-of-heart-islamic-polygamy-of-up-to-four-wives-and-miracle-of-allah/   (heart chambers)

http://www.whygogreentoday.com/inculcating-good-habits-to-prevent-smoking-and-go-green/  (no smoking)