Arteries, Veins and Capillaries
The next major components of the cardiovascular system are the blood vessels. These are a network of tubes that transport the blood around the body. There are three types of blood vessels which all carry out different functions:
Arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood back to the heart. When an artery reaches an organ it branches out into capillaries. It is in the capillaries where substances such as oxygen, food and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the blood and organ cells. The capillaries then join up to form veins. Capillaries are the links between arteries and veins
Arteries, Veins and Capillaries
