the upper chambers of the heart. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood and the left receives oxygenated blood

the lower chambers of the heart that receive blood from the atria before pumping it out to the body/lungs

structural feature that prevents backflow of blood

carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lung then back to the left side of the heart

carries oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to the rest of the body. After delivering oxygen and nutrients to the body, the blood returns to the right side of the heart deoxygenated

Structure of the cardiovascular system

Physical education

Blood vessels, blood cells and the vascular shunt

A practical exploration of the pathway of blood

The cardiac cycle

The relationship between heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output

Air pathway from the atmosphere to alveoli and gaseous exchange

The mechanics of breathing

A practical exploration of how the cardio-respiratory systems work together

This unit will examine the structure and function of both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It includes the correct anatomical names and location of different chambers, valves and blood vessels as well as the pathway of air through to the alveoli and how gaseous exchange occurs.

Anatomy and physiology: the cardio-respiratory system

blood vessel with small lumen and thick muscular walls, carries blood away from the heart

blood vessel with wide lumen, containing pocket valves, carries blood back towards the heart

thin (one cell thick) blood vessel that allow exchange of materials between the blood and the tissues of the body

when arterioles feeding the areas not needing so much blood constrict (become smaller in diameter) to restrict blood flow to that area

when arterioles feeding the areas needing more blood dilate (become wider in diameter) to increase blood flow to that area

the sequence of events in a heartbeat, including contraction and relaxation phases

when the heart is contracting causing ejection of blood

when the heart is relaxing and filling with blood

the number of times the heart beats per minute (bpm)

the volume of blood pumped out of the heart by each ventricle with each beat (measured in millilitres, ml)

the volume of blood pumped per minute by each ventricle of the heart (measured in litres per minute, l/min). Calculated as heart rate x stroke volume

the windpipe that connects the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi, allowing air to pass to and from the lungs

two main branches off the trachea that lead to the lungs, where they further divide into bronchioles

tiny air sacs in the lungs where gaseous exchange between air and blood takes place

the process where oxygen and carbon dioxide are switched between the lungs or the muscles and the bloodstream

the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration

the process of breathing in air by expanding the lung volume

the process of breathing out air by reducing the lung volume

the volume of air breathed in or out during normal breathing

the maximum amount of air a person can exhale after a maximum inhalation

Anatomy and physiology: the cardio-respiratory system

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