Form 3 Science

Chapter 2: Blood Circulation and Transport

2.1- Transport system in humans
1. The transport system in humans is called the blood circulatory system.
2. The blood circulatory system is made up of:
a. Heart
b. Blood vessels that carry the blood
3. The function of the blood circulatory system is to:
a. Provide oxygen to all body cells and to remove carbon dioxide from the cells.
b. Transport excretory products/ waste products such as carbon dioxide and urea to
be excreted out of the body.

2.1a- The structure of the heart and blood circulation through the heart
1.

2. The heart is a muscular organ that contracts and relaxes continually to pump and
circulate blood throughout the body.
3. The heart has four large chambers, i.e.:
(a) left atrium
(b) right atrium
(c) left ventricle
(d) right ventricle

3. The heart has valves that only allow blood to flow in one direction. The valves prevent
the backward flow of blood.
4. The wall of the left ventricle is thicker and more muscular compared to the right
ventricle. This is because stronger pressure is needed by the left ventricle to pump
blood to the whole body.

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 Chapter 2- Blood circulation and Transport

5. The left chamber of the heart contains oxygenated blood while the right chamber
contains deoxygenated blood.
6. Four blood vessels are connected to the heart:

(a) Vena cava

- channels all deoxygenated blood from all parts of the body to the right atrium.

(b) Pulmonary artery

- carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.

(c) Pulmonary vein

- Carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.

(d) Aorta
- carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the whole body.

2.1b- Blood circulation through the heart

The vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from all parts of the body to the right atrium.

When right atrium is filled with blood, the wall will contract and push the blood through
the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle.

When right ventricle is filled with blood, its wall will contract and push the blood through
the semilunar valve into pulmonary artery and then into the lungs.

Gaseous exchange takes place in the lungs. Carbon dioxide diffuses out and oxygen
diffuses into the blood.

Oxygenated blood then flows from the lungs into the left atrium through the pulmonary
vein.

The left atrium wall contracts and pushes the blood through the bicuspid valve into the
left ventricle.

The left ventricle wall contracts and pushes the blood through the semilunar valve into
the aorta.

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Prepared by Wong Shu Ling Wong
Form 3 Science

The aorta then carries the blood to the whole body.

2.1c- Blood vessels in humans

Artery Vein Blood capillary

Structure

Function Carries blood out of Carries blood into Carries blood from
the heart the heart the artery to the
vein
Type of blood carried Carries oxygenated Carries Carries oxygenated
blood ( except deoxygenated blood blood from the
pulmonary artery) (except pulmonary artery and
vein) deoxygenated blood
to the vein
Rate of blood flow High pressure blood Low pressured Blood flows very
that flows fast blood that flows slowly because
slowly
Thickness of blood Has thick, muscular, Has thin, less Has one-cell thick
vessel wall strong and elastic muscular and less wall to facilitate the
wall to withstand elastic wall exchange of gases
the strong blood and digested food
pressure in it and removal of
waste products
Lumen size Small Big Very small
Existence of valve No Yes No
(semilunar valve)

2.1d- Blood circulation

1. There are two types of blood circulation system.
(a) Pulmonary circulation
(b) Systemic circulation

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 Chapter 2- Blood circulation and Transport

Pulmonary circulation
1. Pulmonary circulation consists of blood vessels that transport blood from the heart
to the lungs and back to the heart.
2. Deoxygenated blood is carried through the pulmonary artery to the lungs.
3. In the lungs, gaseous exchange takes place in the alveolus capillary and the
oxygenation of red blood cells occurs.
4. Oxygenated blood is then carried by the pulmonary vein from the lungs back to the
heart.
5. From the heart, oxygenated blood is pumped to the whole body through the
systemic circulation.

Systemic circulation
1. Systemic circulation consists of all blood vessels involved in the blood circulation
from the heart to all parts of the body (except lungs) and back to the heart.
2. Oxygenated blood is pumped by the heart through aorta and its branches (arteries)
to the whole body (except lungs).
3. Blood that reaches body tissues through the blood capillaries will release oxygen
(and digested food) to the body tissues.
4. Then the blood which is lacking in oxygen (rich in carbon dioxide) is collected
through the veins.
5. The vena cava then carries the deoxygenated blood from the veins in all parts of the
body to the heart.

2.11e- Importance of maintaining a healthy heart

1. The importance to maintaining a healthy heart is to:
(a) Avoid contracting heart diseases. In serious case, heart diseases can cause death.
(b) Ensure that our body cells get enough supply of oxygen and food. This is because
the heart pumps blood to the whole body.
2. We should:
(a) Take balanced food
(b) Exercise
(c) Cut down cholesterol intake and
(d) Low stress for beneficial heart.

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Prepared by Wong Shu Ling Wong