PHGY 215 – FINAL 2026 EXAM SCRIPT TEST
PAPER QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ What are the 5 functions of the circulatory system?
Answer: 1. Gas exchange: delivery of oxygen, removal of carbon
dioxide
2. Nutrient and water delivery and absorption: by cells
3. Removal of heat and metabolic waste: exercising muscle generates
excess heat and constant supply of fresh blood flowing through
muscle helps removes heat and metabolic waste
4. Immunity and defence: blood transports key immune cells that
can quickly identify and neutralize foreign particles
5. Cell communication: cells from one part of the body can
communicate with other more distant cells by releasing chemical
messages into blood
◉ How is the circulatory system organized?
Answer: - Closed loop system
,- 2 pumps
- 2 circulation systems
- Left and right sides of heart
◉ What are the two circulation systems?
Answer: 1. Pulmonary circulatory system: moves blood to and from
the lungs
2. Systemic circulatory system: moves blood throughout rest of body
◉ Explain why blood flow is serial throughout the circulatory
system?
Answer: Blood that leaves the left side of the heart flows through the
systemic circulation into the right side of the heart and then into the
lungs before returning to the left side of the heart
◉ How is the systemic circulation designed to deliver blood in
parallel?
Answer: When blood leaves the left side of the heart, it flows
through branching blood vessels which direct the blood to all the
tissues and organs of the body simultaneously; after leaving the
tissues and organs, these branched blood vessels come back
together to deliver all of the blood back to the right side of the heart
◉ What is the left and right sides of the heart separated by?
,Answer: The septum
◉ Each pump of the heart is divided into an upper chamber and a
lower chamber, what are they and what do they do?
Answer: Atrium and ventricle; atria receive blood that is returning to
the heart and transfer it to the ventricles which pump the blood out
of the heart
◉ What vessels are involved in blood transfer with the heart, what
do they do?
Answer: Arteries take blood away from the heart, veins return blood
to the heart (regardless if it is oxygenated or not)
◉ Describe the flow of blood in the heart in 7 steps
Answer: 1. Oxygen rich blood is pumped from the left ventricle into
the very large artery called the aorta
2. This oxygen rich blood is then delivered to the various tissues and
organs
3. At the level of the tissues and organs; oxygen and other nutrients
are removed from the blood while carbon dioxide and other waste
products are added to the blood
4. The blood is now oxygen-poor, it circulates in the veins and
eventually returns to the right atria via two large veins called the
venae cavae
, 5. The blood is then pumped into the right ventricle and then
pumped again out through the pulmonary artery, taking the blood to
the lungs
6. In the lungs, the carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen is added to
the blood
7. Now oxygen rich blood flows through pulmonary vein into left
atria where it is pumped into the left ventricle to start the circuit
again
◉ Why is blood flow unidirectional? How is this ensured?
Answer: In order to maintain constant delivery of oxygen-rich blood
to tissues and organs; ensured by the presence of 4 pressure-
operated cardiac valves so when pressure is great enough the valves
open, but when the pressure decreases, the valve shut to stop blood
from flowing backwards
◉ So when are the pressure-operated valves in the heart
open/closed?
Answer: Open: pressure is greater behind the valve, it opens
Closed: When pressure is greater in front of the valve, it closes (one
way valve)
◉ What are the type types of valves in the heart?
Answer: 1. Atrioventricular valves
2. Semilunar valves
PAPER QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ What are the 5 functions of the circulatory system?
Answer: 1. Gas exchange: delivery of oxygen, removal of carbon
dioxide
2. Nutrient and water delivery and absorption: by cells
3. Removal of heat and metabolic waste: exercising muscle generates
excess heat and constant supply of fresh blood flowing through
muscle helps removes heat and metabolic waste
4. Immunity and defence: blood transports key immune cells that
can quickly identify and neutralize foreign particles
5. Cell communication: cells from one part of the body can
communicate with other more distant cells by releasing chemical
messages into blood
◉ How is the circulatory system organized?
Answer: - Closed loop system
,- 2 pumps
- 2 circulation systems
- Left and right sides of heart
◉ What are the two circulation systems?
Answer: 1. Pulmonary circulatory system: moves blood to and from
the lungs
2. Systemic circulatory system: moves blood throughout rest of body
◉ Explain why blood flow is serial throughout the circulatory
system?
Answer: Blood that leaves the left side of the heart flows through the
systemic circulation into the right side of the heart and then into the
lungs before returning to the left side of the heart
◉ How is the systemic circulation designed to deliver blood in
parallel?
Answer: When blood leaves the left side of the heart, it flows
through branching blood vessels which direct the blood to all the
tissues and organs of the body simultaneously; after leaving the
tissues and organs, these branched blood vessels come back
together to deliver all of the blood back to the right side of the heart
◉ What is the left and right sides of the heart separated by?
,Answer: The septum
◉ Each pump of the heart is divided into an upper chamber and a
lower chamber, what are they and what do they do?
Answer: Atrium and ventricle; atria receive blood that is returning to
the heart and transfer it to the ventricles which pump the blood out
of the heart
◉ What vessels are involved in blood transfer with the heart, what
do they do?
Answer: Arteries take blood away from the heart, veins return blood
to the heart (regardless if it is oxygenated or not)
◉ Describe the flow of blood in the heart in 7 steps
Answer: 1. Oxygen rich blood is pumped from the left ventricle into
the very large artery called the aorta
2. This oxygen rich blood is then delivered to the various tissues and
organs
3. At the level of the tissues and organs; oxygen and other nutrients
are removed from the blood while carbon dioxide and other waste
products are added to the blood
4. The blood is now oxygen-poor, it circulates in the veins and
eventually returns to the right atria via two large veins called the
venae cavae
, 5. The blood is then pumped into the right ventricle and then
pumped again out through the pulmonary artery, taking the blood to
the lungs
6. In the lungs, the carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen is added to
the blood
7. Now oxygen rich blood flows through pulmonary vein into left
atria where it is pumped into the left ventricle to start the circuit
again
◉ Why is blood flow unidirectional? How is this ensured?
Answer: In order to maintain constant delivery of oxygen-rich blood
to tissues and organs; ensured by the presence of 4 pressure-
operated cardiac valves so when pressure is great enough the valves
open, but when the pressure decreases, the valve shut to stop blood
from flowing backwards
◉ So when are the pressure-operated valves in the heart
open/closed?
Answer: Open: pressure is greater behind the valve, it opens
Closed: When pressure is greater in front of the valve, it closes (one
way valve)
◉ What are the type types of valves in the heart?
Answer: 1. Atrioventricular valves
2. Semilunar valves
