By Darcy, Gabriel and Paul THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

 The main function of the circulatory system is to transport various materials throughout the entire body.  It transports nutrients, water, and oxygen to all the cells in your body and carries waste such as carbon dioxide that the cells produce. FUNCTION OF THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

 The heart is located in the center of your chest slightly to the left. It’s main purpose is to pump your blood and keep the blood moving throughout your body.  The heart is made up of special muscles called cardiac muscles, these muscles allow the heart to work without much rest.  The average man’s heart beats 70 times per minute. For an average woman, it is 78 time per minute.  The left side of the heart is in charge of the general route of circulation, to the major organs in the human body (kidneys, liver, brain and etc.)  The right side of the heart in in charge of pulmonary circulation delivers blood to and from the lungs. THE HEART

Heart Diagram

 Blood travels through thousands of miles of blood vessels within the human body. Blood carries nutrients, water, oxygen, and waste to and from the cells in the body.  Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide, they pick up oxygen in the lungs and transport it to all the cells.  White blood cells help the body fight off germs, help build/rebuild damaged cells and remove unwanted debris from blood vessels.  Platelets help stop bleeding, when a cut happens a blood vessel breaks blood leaks out and the platelets form together  Plasma is the liquid part of blood. Plasma is produced in the liver.  One drop of blood is approximately half plasma contains 5 million red blood cells, 10 thousand white blood cells, and 250 thousand platelets BLOOD

 Veins, which transport blood back to the heart, have walls that are thinner than those of the arteries. Although the veins also have three layers, there are more strands of white fiber, and the layers are made of less muscle.  The walls of the veins are more rigid than the walls of the arteries.  Veins, on the other hand, start at the capillaries, and then move through out into bigger and greater veins as they get closer to the heart.  Veins are unique when contrasted to arteries, because they are more thinner than arteries, are made up of less muscle than the arteries and their walls are more rough and rigid than the arteries. VEINS AND ARTERIES

 Capillaries are small little blood vessels that link arteries and veins.  They remove oxygen (O 2 ) from the blood  They are so small, the blood cells have to travel at a single file line. CAPILLARIES Capillaries Diagram

 Don’t smoke – second hand smoking is also bad for you. It can also increase your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels.  Take Vitamin E to keep arteries stable  Eat fresh vegetables and fruits to provide you with antioxidants – very good for your heart.  Exercise at a reasonable rate, but little exercise such as a morning walk can increased your circulatory system’s work.  Your hearts needs at least 4 grams of salt a day, to function at a stable rate. Anymore salt doses could increase the blood pressure. HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY

 Diseases connected to the circulatory system are the #1 cause of death in North America.  Blood clots are clumps of fat inside of arteries, that prevent blood from flowing.  Factors that cause heart attacks are: smoking, high doses of cholesterol, high blood pressure and stress.  There is a relatively rare disease called hemophilia, it causes blood not to clot properly, which can lead to excessive bleeding, and other fatal symptoms.  1 out of 100 babies are born with some form of heart defect, and the most common defect is ventricular septocl defect which is a whole in the heart that causes blood from the left side of the heart to flow to the right side of the heart. DISEASES AND OTHER EFFECTS

ARTERY BUILD UP Artery Build-Up Diagram

 All the blood vessels in your body could wrap around the earth 2.5 times.  Red and white blood cells have no nucleus, thus cannot divide. Instead, they are produced in the bone marrow.  The heart weighs ½ pound(s). And can push 2,000 gallons of blood through an outstanding 60,000 miles of tubing every day, for years.  The liver is the organ that naturally produces cholesterol.  Nearly 20 quarts of blood is transported to every single cell in your body within 20 seconds.  Blood clots are good for you, because they help heal wounds and because they stop blood from exiting the blood vessels. FUN FACTS

Image pulmonary_systemic_circulation.jpg pulmonary_systemic_circulation.jpg Main website: Healthy habits: ystem.html Diseases: Book(s): The Encyclopedia of Health - The Circulatory System by Regina Avraham REFERENCES

Heart Diagram- am_labeled.png Capillaries Diagram- ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/9d/1b/6e9d1b2d ca dec50bc70.jpg Artery Build-Up Diagram- flow%204.jpg REFERENCES II