Chapter 3

Basic Definitions
Heart:
Heart is a muscular organ which
pumps the blood throughout the
body.
Arteries:
Blood vessels which carry
oxygenated blood from heart to all
cells of the body are called
arteries.
● Pulmonary artery carry
deoxygenated blood from heart to
lungs.
Veins:
Blood vessels which carry
deoxygenated blood from all cells
of the body to heart are called
veins.
● Pulmonary vein carry
oxygenated blood from heart to
lungs.
Hormones:
Hormones are chemical produced
in the body to regulate a specific
function e.g growth.
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Questions And Answers
Q1. What is the main job of the
circulatory system?
Ans: The main job of the
circulatory system is to transport
wanted materials (food, O²) and
remove waste materials (urea,
CO²).
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Q2. Name four of the materials
carried by the blood?
Ans: Four of the materials carried
by the blood include
1- Food (glucose, amnio acids,
fatty acids, minerals)
2- Water
3- Gases (O², CO²)
4- Chemicals (enzymes,
hormones)
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Q3. How much blood is there in
the body of an adult human being?
Ans: The body of an adult human
being contains about 5 litres of
blood.
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Q4. What are the four parts of
blood? Describe what each of
them does?
Ans: Four Parts of Blood And
Their Functions:
1- Red Blood Cells (RBCs)
RBCs carry oxygen to all cells of
the body.
2- White Blood Cells (WBCs)
WBCs help to protect the body
from germs.
3- Platelets
Platelets help to heal wounds by
clotting the blood.
4- Plasma
Plasma is the liquid part of blood
in which RBCs, WBCs and
platelets float.
* Plasma carries glucose, amino
acids, fatty acids, mineral salts,
hormones and enzymes.
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Q5. What does haemoglobin do in
the body?
Ans:
Haemoglobin:
Haemoglobin is a compound
made of iron and protein. It is
present in RBCs.
Functions:
1- Haemoglobin give red colour to
the blood.
2- Haemoglobin binds oxygen and
carry it to all cells of the body.
*****
Q6. Why does lack of iron in the
diet sometimes lead to anaemia?
Ans:
Anaemia is a disease caused by
the deficiency of iron in blood,
therefore the deficiency of iron in
diet may lead to anaemia.
*****
Q7. A drop of blood has just left
one of your lungs. Describe the
route it takes to get back to the
lungs.
Ans: A drop of blood that leaves
the lung would first enter the
pulmonary vein. The pulmonary
vein would transport it to the left
atrium of the heart. The left atrium
will push it to the left ventricle
where it would be pumped and
transported to the rest of the body
by arteries. After losing oxygen at
cellular level and gaining carbon
dioxide, the blood will return to the
right atrium of the heart with the
help of veins. The right atrium will
squeeze it to the right ventricle
where it would be pumped to the
lungs to receive oxygen and
release carbon dioxide.
*****
Q8. Why is it much easier to stop
blood flowing from a vein than an
artery?
Ans: Blood flowing from a vein is
under low pressure than an artery,
therefore it is much easier to stop
the blood flowing from a vein than
an artery.
*****
Q9. Why does blood spurt out of a
damaged artery?
Ans: In arteries, blood is under
very high pressure therefore the
blood spurt out of a damaged
artery.
*****
Q10. Why is it not correct to say
that all arteries carry oxygenated
blood and all veins carry
deoxygenated blood?
Ans:
*All arteries carry oxygenated
blood except pulmonary artery
which carry deoxygenated blood
from heart to lungs.
*All veins carry deoxygenated
blood except pulmonary vein
which carry oxygenated blood
from heart to lungs.
Therefore
It is not correct to say that all
arteries
carry oxygenated blood and all
veins carry deoxygenated blood.
*****
Q12. How do veins differ from
arteries and capillaries in their
structure and function?
Ans:
Veins:
1- Veins have fairly thick walls
which contain some elastic fibres.
2- Veins have valves.
3- Veins carry deoxygenated blood
to the heart.
Arteries:
1- Arteries have thick walls made
of muscles and elastic fibres.
2- Arteries have only one valve
present near the heart.
3- Arteries carry oxygenated blood
to all cells of the body .
Capillaries:
1- Capillaries have thin walls
made of only one layer of cells.
2- Capillaries have no valves.
3- Capillaries link arteries with
veins.
*****
Q13. What are varicose veins and
what causes their development?
Ans:
Varicose Veins:
Veins which swell up due to the
accumulation of blood are known
as varicose veins.
Causes:
Varicose veins are caused due to
1- Obesity
2- Blockage of valves inside the
veins.
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Q14. What type of people are
prone to developing blood related
diseases?
Ans: The following people are
prone to developing blood related
diseases.
1- Overweight
2- Iron deficient
3- Smokers
4- Aged people
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Q15. What is pacemaker and
when is it needed?
Ans:
Pacemaker:
Pacemaker is a group of cells in
the right atrium of heart which
produce a small amount of
electricity and make the heart
walls contract.
Need of Pacemaker:
When the natural pacemaker
stops working, we need an
artificial pacemaker to keep the
heart working properly.
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Q16. What work does a valve in
the heart or a vein do? What is a
faulty heart valve and how can it
be repaired?
Ans:
Function of Valve In Heart And
Vein:
A valve in the heart or vein control
the flow of blood and blood flows
in right direction.
Faulty Heart Valve:
When the valve of heart or vein do
not shut properly and unable to
perform the normal function, the
condition is known as
"faulty heart valve".
Repairing of Faulty Heart Valve:
To repair the faulty heart valve, the
heart is opened up and the faulty
valve is replaced with an artificial
valve.
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Q17. What happens if a person
has high levels of glucose in his or
her blood? What can be done to
control the level of glucose?
Ans: If a person has high levels of
glucose in his/her blood, the
person may develop diabetes.
Treatment:
Diabetes can be treated by using
tablets or injections of insulin and
by the careful control of diet.
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Q18. What are the advantages
and
disadvantages of a heart
transplant?
Ans:
Advantages of Heart Transplant:
1- It lengthens the life.
2- It improves the quality of life.
3- It improves the overall health of
the body.
Disadvantages of Heart
Transplant:
1- Immune system often rejects
the transplanted heart.
2- During the transplant, the
patient may have the risks of
blood clotting and bleeding.
3- After transplant, the patient may
live only for 2-5 years.