Blood and the Heart

Whats in the blood and what does each thing do?

Blood contains RED BLOOD CELLS, WHITE BLOOD CELLS, PLASMA AND PLATELETS. Red blood cells carry oxygen, white cells fight disease and platelets make your blood clot. Plasma is a watery liquid containing dissolved food and waste materials e.g. Carbon Dioxide. WHITE, 

What adaptations hav the red cells got?

Red blood cells are biconcave discs. No nucleus means a larger volume to pack full of haemoglobin molecules. A biconcave disc shape gives more surface area for diffusion of oxygen into the cells.

What do white cells do?

White blood cells shapes are irregular. Their functions are to destroy micro-organisms and dead cells by engulfing and digesting them, and, to produce antibodies.

What are platelets?

Platelets are fragments of cells that are involved in the blood clotting process which stops bleeding and prevents infection from micro-organisms entering the body.

What is Plasma?

Plasma is a yellow liquid which carries red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, waste products such as carbon dioxide and urea, digested food and hormones.

What's the heart and what's in it?

The heart is a pump that pushes blood around the body. It has four chambers - Left and right atriums and left and right ventricles. left and right are from the point of view of the person who's heart it is!e

What do arteries do and what are they?

Arteries carry blood away from the heart. They have thick walls to withstand the high pressure of the blood.The main arteries are the Pulmonary artery and the Aorta. The Aorta takes blood to the body and the pulmonary artery takes blood to the lungs.

What do veins do and what are they?

Veins carry blood to the heart. Veins have thinner walls than arteries and have valves to prevent backflow. The main veins are the pulmonary artery and the Vena Cava. The Vena Cava brings blood from the body and the pulmonary vein brings blood from the lungs.

What are capillaries like?

Capillaries have very thin walls which allow oxygen and glucose to pass into the cells for resperation and carbon dioxide and other waste products to enter the cappilaries from the cells.