Blood Vessels (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award)): Revision Note

Arteries, Veins & Capillaries

Arteries

• Carry blood at high pressure away from the heart

• Carry oxygenated blood (other than the pulmonary artery)

• Have thick muscular walls containing elastic fibres

• Have a narrow lumen

• Speed of flow is fast

Veins

• Carry blood at low pressure towards the heart

• Carry deoxygenated blood (other than the pulmonary vein)

• Have thin walls

• Have a large lumen

• Contain valves

• Speed of flow is slow 

Comparing arteries and veins

Capillaries

• Carry blood at low pressure within tissues

• Carry both oxygenated and deoxygenated blood

• Have walls that are one cell thick

• Have ‘leaky’ walls

• Speed of flow is slow

Structure of a capillary