High School Biology : Circulatory System

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Biology

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Example Questions

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Example Question #31 : Circulatory System

A universal donor has __________ blood, and a universal acceptor has __________ blood.

Possible Answers:

AB- . . . O+

O- . . . AB+

AB+ . . . O-

O- . . . AB-

Correct answer:

O- . . . AB+

Explanation:

The universal donor blood type is O-, because this blood can be transfused to any of the ABO blood types, as well as to those with Rh+ and Rh-. O-negative blood is devoid of any antigens, but carries antibodies against A, B, and Rh.

AB+ contains both A and B antigens that would elicit an immune responses against any blood containing anti-A or anti-B antibodies. However, AB blood can receive all types of blood because it contains no antibodies. Additionally, AB+ blood carries the Rh antigen and is void of Rh antibodies. This makes AB+ blood the universal acceptor.

Example Question #32 : Circulatory System

What is the largest artery in the body?

Possible Answers:

Pulmonary artery

Superior vena cava

Aorta

Mitral valve

Pulmonary vein

Correct answer:

Aorta

Explanation:

The aorta is the largest artery in the body. Like other arteries, the aorta's walls are made up of several layers, one of the largest layers being an elastic layer, which stretches and recoils in response to high pressure blood being pumped through it. Also, recall that all arteries carry blood away from the heart. Blood from the left ventricle of the heart is pumped into the aorta through the aortic semilunar valve. The venae cavae are the largest veins in the body. Like all veins, they carry blood back to the heart. Although the pulmonary artery is quite large, it is not as large as the aorta. Recall that the left ventricle is larger than the right ventricle, and thus more blood is pumped from the left ventricle through the aorta than is pumped from the right ventricle through the pulmonary artery.

Example Question #221 : Organs And Organ Systems

Which of the following blood vessels are only one cell thick?

Possible Answers:

Arterioles

Capillaries

Veins

Arteries

Venule

Correct answer:

Capillaries

Explanation:

Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels. They are responsible for diffusion of gasses and other materials across their walls. For example, alveoli in the lungs are surrounded by capillaries. There, carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses through the capillary walls, into the alveoli, to be exhaled. The opposite is true for oxygen. All of these other blood vessels have walls which are too think to allow any exchange of materials.

Example Question #34 : Circulatory System

What is the name of the wall that separtes the left side of the heart from the right side?

Possible Answers:

Interventicular septum

Ventricle 

Bicuspid valve

Atrium

Vena cava

Correct answer:

Interventicular septum

Explanation:

The name of this wall is the interventricular septum. It keeps the right and left sides of the heart separate. Remember the importance of keeping these chambers separate; the circulatory system is actually two circuits: pulmonary and systemic. Pulmonary circulation involves blood traveling from the right side of the heart to the lungs to become oxygenated, then returning to the left side of the heart where it is pumped to the body, where the oxygen is taken up by cells. Lastly, the oxygen-poor blood returns from the body to the right side of the heart and the circuit starts again. Mixing blood between these two circuits would result in compromised circulatory system function. 

Example Question #5 : Understanding Circulatory Function

Which of the following vessels carries oxygen-poor blood to the heart?

Possible Answers:

Superior and inferior vena cavae

all of these carry oxygen-poor blood to the heart

Pulmonary arteries

Aorta

Pulmonary veins

Correct answer:

Superior and inferior vena cavae

Explanation:

Pulmonary arteries carry oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs so that it can become oxygenated. Pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs back to the heart. The aorta carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body and brain. The superior and inferior vena cavae carry oxygen-poor blood from the body back to the heart so that it can travel to the lungs and become oxygenated again.

Example Question #31 : Circulatory System

Given that the walls of the heart are not uniform, which of the walls would one expect to be thicker or thinner?

Possible Answers:

The inter-ventricular septum is the thickest

The right ventricle wall is thicker

The left ventricle wall is thinnest

The left ventricle wall is thicker

The right atrium is thickest

Correct answer:

The left ventricle wall is thicker

Explanation:

Blood flows back to the heart through the pulmonary veins after being oxygenated in the lungs and re-enters the heart through the left atrium. The blood then passes into the left ventricle, which pumps an enormous volume of blood via the aorta to the rest of the body. This chamber of the heart is under a lot of pressure since the heart must pump blood through the many miles of vessels and arteries; therefore, the left ventricle wall must be thicker to withstand the force of these contractions. 

Example Question #12 : Understanding Circulatory Function

Which of the following chambers of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood into the body?

Possible Answers:

Vena cava

Left ventricle

Right atrium

Left atrium

Right ventricle

Correct answer:

Left ventricle

Explanation:

The left ventricle pumps blood into the aorta, through which oxygen-rich blood circulates throughout the body. 

Example Question #222 : Organs And Organ Systems

Which of the following is not a sympathetic effect?

Possible Answers:

Increase in heart rate

Increase in the heart's force of contraction

Pupils dilate

Increased respiratory rate

Increase in urine production

Correct answer:

Increase in urine production

Explanation:

The sympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system and provides the "fight or flight" response. For this, muscles will need an increased amount of blood, so the heart increases its force of contraction and rate of contraction (heart rate). Additionally, more oxygen needs to be supplied to the muscles, so the respiratory rate also increases. The increase in cardiac output leads to an increase in blood pressure in the sympathetic response. 

During the sympathetic response, blood flow is shunted from other organs and sent to the heart and muscles instead. Therefore, digestion and urine production is decreased. Less blood to the kidneys means less urine gets produced.

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