Arteries and Veins

Aorta - leaves the left ventricle and carries oxygenated blood to body tissues

Pulmonary artery - leaves the right ventricle and carries deoxygenated blood to lungs

*blood is forced out of ventricles in high pressure spurts so arteries need to be adapted:

• walls contain elastic fibres to stretch when blood enters and recoil (pulsation helps smooth blood flow)
• muscle fibres to withstand high pressure
• folded inner lining to expand as walls stretch
• a narrow…