Circulatory System

The Circulatory System functions as a highway for nutrients and oxygen transport in the body. It is astounding to learn that the blood, who we normally think of as something only vampires drink as portrayed in the books and movies, play such a very vital role in the functions of our body. The blood carries oxygen that our brain and lungs need in order to not collapse and keep us living. It supplies nourishment to our vital organs too. It also helps protect our body from pathogens to keep us healthy. It aids in the healing when we get wounded. As I learn more about the blood, I cannot help but admire the heart more. Yes, the heart. More than the thing that we see hanging around during Valentine's Day and more than the hearts we find on little girls' notebooks when they dot their "I"s and they write their crush's name, he heart, in reality, pumps the blood that does all the wonders I have previously mentioned. The heart is the one responsible for the delivery of oxygen to and from the lungs, therefore, without the heart, our lungs and the brain that requires oxygen for functioning will cease to do their jobs! The heart really is very vital in our life. Like the song goes, "please be careful with my heart", for without it, we will really die. Did you know that the heart can still function even if the brain is already dead? It is a truly wonderful thing. Getting more in depth with this knowledge makes me love my heart more. Lastly, who would forget the veins and arteries? We already have the transportation, the blood, and the main terminal, the heart, therefore we also need streets and highways to complete their purpose and those are what the veins and arteries are for! It truly is amazing how the human body functions as an entirety.

10 interesting facts about the Circulatory System!!

1. If you put your circulatory system on a straight line, it is actually long enough to orbit the earth two and a half times!

2. The heart beats around 3,000,000,000 (3 billion times) in the average person's life.

3. About 8 million blood cells die in the human body every second, and the same number are born each second.

4. Inside a tiny droplet of blood, there are around 5 million red blood cells and up to 7,000 to 25,000 white blood cells.

5. Blood that is high and rich in oxygen is a bright, healthy red, while, blood that is poor in oxygen is a dull red.

6. The reason why red blood cells are red is because they contain a protein chemical called hemoglobin which is bright red in colour.

7. As blood passes through the lungs, oxygen molecules attach to the hemoglobin. As the blood passes through the body's tissue, the hemoglobin releases the oxygen to the cells. The empty hemoglobin molecules then bond with the tissue's carbon dioxide or other waste gases, transporting it away.

8. The body's circulatory system has three different parts: pulmonary circulation (the Lungs), coronary circulation (the Heart), and systemic circulation (The System).

9. As blood begins to circulate, it leaves the heart from the left ventricle and goes into the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in the body. The blood leaving the aorta is full of oxygen. This is important for the cells in the brain and the body to do their work. The oxygen rich blood travels throughout the body in its system of arteries into the smallest arterioles.

10. On its way back to the heart, the blood travels through a system of veins. As it reaches the lungs, the carbon dioxide (a waste product) is removed from the blood and replace with fresh oxygen that we have inhaled through the lungs.

Source: http://scienceharris08-10.wikispaces.com/The+10+MOST+interesting+facts+about+the+Circulatory+System