Cardiovascular System - Questions &
Answers latest update 2025/2026
What four parts make up blood? - answer1. Plasma, 2. WBC (leukocytes), 3.RBC (erythrocytes), and 4.
Platelets (thrombocytes)
What is the most abundant type of blood cell? - answerRBC (erythrocytes)
Name 3 functions of blood - answer1. Distribution: distributes oxygen from lungs, distributes nutrients
from digestive tract to all of the body, eliminates waste products
2. Regulation: helps maintain appropriate body temperature, maintains normal PH balance in body
tissue, maintains adequate fluid volume in the circulatory system
3. Protection: Prevents blood loss, Prevents infection
What is the function of RBC's? - answerdeliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide
What protein is found in RBC's? - answerHemoglobin makes cells red because of iron - carries gases
What is the function of platelets? - answerclotting material
What type of blood cell lacks a nucleus? - answerRBC
Which blood cells increase in number in response to an infection? - answerWBC
What is the name of the protective membrane surrounding the heart? - answerThe heart is enclosed in
a double membrane sac called the pericardium. The pericardium is made of the visceral layer
(epicardium) and the parietal layer.
Which layer of the heart contains cardiac muscle tissue? - answerThe middle layer, called the
myocardium, consists of cardiac muscle (thickest layer); (myo- means muscle)
,What separates the right side of the heart from the left? - answerThe left and right sides of the heart are
completely separated by the septum - blood from the two sides never mixes!
What blood vessel is connected to the right atrium? - answerSuperior and Inferior Vena Cavae
What blood vessel is connected to the right ventricle? - answerPulmonary Artery
What type of blood does the right side of the heart pump? - answerDeoxygenated Blood
Blood that enters the right side of the heart comes from the - answerBody
Which is the shortest circuit in the circulatory system? - answerCoronary Circulation
To where does blood flow when the atria contract? - answerDown to the bottom (inferior) chambers of
the heart which are called the ventricles.
Which blood vessels are connected to the left atrium? - answerPulmonary Veins
Which blood vessels are connected to the left ventricle? - answerAorta
What type of blood is pumped out of the left side of the heart? - answerOxygenated
Why is the left ventricle wall thicker than the right wall of the heart? - answerMore pressure and force is
needed to push the blood throughout the body.
How does the heart receive oxygen and nutrients? - answerCoronary Circulation, Coronary arteries
What is the function of heart valves? - answerValves allow the blood to flow in one direction only
What valve is located between the right atrium and right ventricle? - answerTricuspid valve
, What valve is located between the left ventricle and aorta? - answerBicuspid or mitral valve
What prevents the AV valves from opening backwards? - answerThe AV valves are attached to the
papillary muscles in the ventricles by chordae tendineae. Chordae tendineae prevent valves from
opening superiorly or backwards.
What causes the AV valves to open? - answerRelaxed heart = valves are open, allow blood flow from
atria to ventricles
What causes the SL valves to open? - answerThe valves open when the ventricles contract and close
when relaxed
What are the differences between cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle? - answerCardiac: Only in the
heart, involuntary, short, striated, single nucleus, branched, connected by intercalated discs with gap
junctions.
Skeletal: Attached to bone, voluntary, very long, striated, multiple nuclei, parallel, not connected
What does systole mean? - answerSystole refers to the contractions of the heart
Diastole refers to the relaxation period of the heart
What is a normal resting heart rate? - answer60-100 bpm
How can cardiac muscle fitness be improved? - answerRegular Exercise
What influences heart rate? - answerage, gender and physical activity level.
What part of the heart controls heart rate? - answerSino-atrial (SA) node is known as the heart's
pacemaker. It is located in the right atrial wall and causes 60 depolarizations per minute. Made of
autorhythmic cells.
Answers latest update 2025/2026
What four parts make up blood? - answer1. Plasma, 2. WBC (leukocytes), 3.RBC (erythrocytes), and 4.
Platelets (thrombocytes)
What is the most abundant type of blood cell? - answerRBC (erythrocytes)
Name 3 functions of blood - answer1. Distribution: distributes oxygen from lungs, distributes nutrients
from digestive tract to all of the body, eliminates waste products
2. Regulation: helps maintain appropriate body temperature, maintains normal PH balance in body
tissue, maintains adequate fluid volume in the circulatory system
3. Protection: Prevents blood loss, Prevents infection
What is the function of RBC's? - answerdeliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide
What protein is found in RBC's? - answerHemoglobin makes cells red because of iron - carries gases
What is the function of platelets? - answerclotting material
What type of blood cell lacks a nucleus? - answerRBC
Which blood cells increase in number in response to an infection? - answerWBC
What is the name of the protective membrane surrounding the heart? - answerThe heart is enclosed in
a double membrane sac called the pericardium. The pericardium is made of the visceral layer
(epicardium) and the parietal layer.
Which layer of the heart contains cardiac muscle tissue? - answerThe middle layer, called the
myocardium, consists of cardiac muscle (thickest layer); (myo- means muscle)
,What separates the right side of the heart from the left? - answerThe left and right sides of the heart are
completely separated by the septum - blood from the two sides never mixes!
What blood vessel is connected to the right atrium? - answerSuperior and Inferior Vena Cavae
What blood vessel is connected to the right ventricle? - answerPulmonary Artery
What type of blood does the right side of the heart pump? - answerDeoxygenated Blood
Blood that enters the right side of the heart comes from the - answerBody
Which is the shortest circuit in the circulatory system? - answerCoronary Circulation
To where does blood flow when the atria contract? - answerDown to the bottom (inferior) chambers of
the heart which are called the ventricles.
Which blood vessels are connected to the left atrium? - answerPulmonary Veins
Which blood vessels are connected to the left ventricle? - answerAorta
What type of blood is pumped out of the left side of the heart? - answerOxygenated
Why is the left ventricle wall thicker than the right wall of the heart? - answerMore pressure and force is
needed to push the blood throughout the body.
How does the heart receive oxygen and nutrients? - answerCoronary Circulation, Coronary arteries
What is the function of heart valves? - answerValves allow the blood to flow in one direction only
What valve is located between the right atrium and right ventricle? - answerTricuspid valve
, What valve is located between the left ventricle and aorta? - answerBicuspid or mitral valve
What prevents the AV valves from opening backwards? - answerThe AV valves are attached to the
papillary muscles in the ventricles by chordae tendineae. Chordae tendineae prevent valves from
opening superiorly or backwards.
What causes the AV valves to open? - answerRelaxed heart = valves are open, allow blood flow from
atria to ventricles
What causes the SL valves to open? - answerThe valves open when the ventricles contract and close
when relaxed
What are the differences between cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle? - answerCardiac: Only in the
heart, involuntary, short, striated, single nucleus, branched, connected by intercalated discs with gap
junctions.
Skeletal: Attached to bone, voluntary, very long, striated, multiple nuclei, parallel, not connected
What does systole mean? - answerSystole refers to the contractions of the heart
Diastole refers to the relaxation period of the heart
What is a normal resting heart rate? - answer60-100 bpm
How can cardiac muscle fitness be improved? - answerRegular Exercise
What influences heart rate? - answerage, gender and physical activity level.
What part of the heart controls heart rate? - answerSino-atrial (SA) node is known as the heart's
pacemaker. It is located in the right atrial wall and causes 60 depolarizations per minute. Made of
autorhythmic cells.
