CIRCULATORY SYSTEM I

It carries substances in the blood, which circulates through the blood vessels
and is pumped by the heart.
Initial activity: Watch the video “Human body for kids: circulatory system..”
as many times as you need and try to answer the questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmcXm-8H-ks
Activities:

1. What does the circulatory system do?

2. How can you take care of your circulatory system?
3. How big is your heart? What does it do?
4. Which are the three types of cells found in the blood?
5. What do they do?
6. What are the blood vessels? Name them.
BLOOD: is a thick, red liquid composed of plasma (formed by water, minerals,
nutrients from digestion, waste substances...) and blood cells:
➢ Red blood cells are small cells without a
nucleus. They contain haemoglobin (red
protein containing iron) that helps transport
O2 and CO2. (4-5 million/mm3)

➢ White blood cells are larger and less

numerous (8000/mm3). They defend our body
against pathogens and tumour cells.

➢ Platelets are not true cells, but pieces of

cytoplasm. They help our blood to clot.
(300000/mm3)
The functions of blood
nutrients absorbed during digestion

➢ It transports substances: blood carries to the cells.

oxygen obtained from the lungs

waste products of cellular activity to the excretory organs.

➢ It regulates body temperature: blood helps maintaining body temperature by distributing heat
throughout the body.

➢ It defends the body: White blood cells defend our body from pathogens and tumour cells.
Platelets also help our blood to clot, ensuring that we do not lose too much blood when we have an
accident.
BLOOD VESSELS
➢ Arteries: thick and elastic walls. They carry the
blood from the heart to the organs. They branch
off into arterioles (smaller arteries).

➢ Veins: thinner and less elastic walls. They have

valves which prevent blood from flowing
backwards. They take the blood from the organs
to the heart. They are formed by the joining of
small veins called venules.

➢ Capillaries are microscopic blood vessels that

reach all the cells. They join the arterioles and
venules to form a closed circuit.Their walls are
very thin and allow nutrients, gases and waste to
be exchanged between the blood and the cells.
The heart…
- is a muscular, hollow organ in charge of pumping the blood through the
blood vessels

- is located in the rib cage (thoracic cage) between the lungs

- is divided into two halves, right and left, and is separated lengthwise by the
septum. Each half has two cavities: an atrium and a ventricle.
➢ The atria (upper chambers). The pulmonary veins ➢ The ventricles (lower chambers):
end in the left atrium. The venae cavae, through joined to the atria by valves that prevent
which the blood from the rest of the body's veins the blood from flowing backwards (left:
flows, end in the right atrium. mitral valve/ right: tricuspid valve).

The pulmonary artery leaves the right

ventricle and carries blood to the
pulmonary alveoli so that gas exchange
takes place.

The aorta artery leaves the left ventricle

and distributes blood containing O2
around the body.

These arteries have valves at the point

of exit called semilunar valves, which
prevent the blood from flowing back into
it.