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Arteries are the type of blood vessels that transport blood from the heart to the various organs. In general, they carry oxygenated blood but pulmonary and umbilical arteries are the exceptions as they carry deoxygenated blood. The arteries are subdivided into two types according to their relative composition of elastic and muscle tissues.
Arteries: StructureArteries are tube-like structures having three layers.
The lumen of the arteries is small due to the presence of thick walls. The small lumen creates the high pressure inside the arteries that are required to carry blood from the heart to the extreme points of various organs. High pressure also prevents the backflow of the blood. Also Read: Why do arteries have thick walls?
An example to relate thick walls and small lumenWhile spraying water into the garden have you ever decreased the nozzle size of the water pipe with your thumb to increase the pressure. This is the same scenario with arteries. Thick walls decrease the lumen size of the arteries which increases the pressure inside them. High pressure is necessary so that the blood reaches the extreme ends and does not flow backward.
Ques: How high blood pressure causes harm? (Marks 2) Ans: Blood pressure increases when the artery walls become less elastic and force the heart to work harder to supply enough blood to the body. This condition may further lead to the blockage of arteries and heart attack or stroke may occur. Ques: Why does the heart pump out blood with high pressure? (Marks 1) Ans: The heart pumps out blood with great pressure to make sure the blood reaches the extreme ends of the various organs. Ques: How low blood pressure causes harm? (Marks 2) Ans: With low pressure, inadequate blood reaches the organs. This can cause dizziness and lightheadedness due to the lack of oxygen transport. This may further lead to heart stroke, attack, or kidney failure. Ques: What is atherosclerosis? (Marks 2) Ans: Atherosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of arteries due to the deposition of plaque. This plaque can be of fats, cholesterol, or other substances. This condition can block the blood flow that may lead to stroke. Ques: Why don't arteries have valves? (Marks 2) Ans: The function of valves is to prevent backflow. Blood flows with great pressure inside the arteries and does not go back as the heart is pumping out the blood to the arteries. Since high-pressure flow prevents backflow, arteries do not need valves. Also Read: Things to remember
The main function of the arteries is to circulate or to carry oxygenated blood from the heart to different parts of the human body. Walls of the arteries are thick because they have to withstand the high pressure released from the heart during the process of pumping the blood. Therefore, the thick walls of the arteries help in maintaining the blood pressure simultaneously by controlling blood flow. Explore more: Human Circulatory System
Let’s learn more in detail about arteries- The blood vessels. Blood is one of the most important and fluid connective tissues. Both blood cells and blood vessels play an essential role in the circulatory system. Almost all animals, insects, birds and humans possess a circulatory system, which is composed of the heart, blood cells and blood vessels. Explore more: Blood and its Components
Arteries are blood vessels, the network of pathways through which the oxygenated blood travels away from the heart to various cells, tissues and organs of the human body. There are three different types of arteries: Compared to other blood vessels, arteries have thick walls and are located superficially. This is mainly because these blood vessels perform the critical function of carrying oxygenated blood throughout the body under considerable pressure. In case these blood vessels have thinner walls, they would get damaged, which results in blood loss caused by the rupture of blood vessels. Explore more: Differences between Arteries and Veins
This article concludes the introduction to arteries and why arteries have thick walls. Stay tuned with BYJU’S to learn more in detail about arteries, veins, blood cells,blood vessels and other related topics, at BYJU’S Biology.
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0 arewrong out of 0 are correct out of0 are Unattempted View Quiz Answers and Analysis out ofAnswer: Arteries are blood vessels, the network of pathways through which the oxygenated blood travels away from the heart to various cells, tissues and organs of the human body. If arteries have thin walls they would burst because of high blood pressure. That is why arteries have thick walls. Because the heart pumps blood at high pressure. They must be able to withstand the tremendous pressure from a beating heart. Veins have thinner walls because they need more room to hold blood. The elastic wall of arteries helps to maintain a pressure gradient that drives the blood through the arterial system.
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