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Investigation 6.2
Which Way Do I Go? Investigating Blood Vessels |
Recall from the previous lessons and the animation that blood is transported through blood vessels in the body. We will look later at exactly what blood is made of. |
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Look back at your drawing from the end of the last lesson. Recall that the circulatory system is a closed system for blood to move through the body and that the heart pumps the blood. |
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To better understand how the circulatory system moves oxygen and glucose to the cell, we need to understand more about these vessels. We will now explore further the blood vessels. |
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Remember that we learned that the circulatory system is closed. Look back at the model you drew. |
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Work with a partner to detect your pulse. To do this, feel the left or right front area of your neck just under the jaw. You do not need to press very hard but rather use a light touch. Take turns counting the number of beats for each other. |
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Number of beats/min = _________ |
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1. Describe to your partner what you feel. |
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2. Now try to come up with an explanation of what you felt. |
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3. Try to feel the same thing in your wrist (the teacher will show you where to feel if you are having trouble). You find your radial pulse on the outer part of the wrist approximately 1/2 to 1 inch from the hand. |
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4. Compare the two pulses. Discuss this with your partner and try to come up with an explanation for the similarities and differences. |
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Could you feel your pulse on every blood vessel? Do the pulses feel the same? Is one weaker or stronger? |
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Remember what you discovered when you felt the pulses in your carotid artery (neck) and in your radial artery (pulse on the inside of the wrist). |
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Look at vessels on the back of your hands. |
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Are there pulses in those vessels? |
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What do you think are the differences among the different blood vessels? |
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We said that the circulatory system is a closed system. Which blood vessels have a pulse, those that carry blood to the heart, or those that carry blood away from the heart, or those that connect the two? |
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Feel the beat of your heart or listen to it with a stethoscope if one is available. |
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What do you observe? Is the beat similar or different from the pulses you felt? |
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Is there a relationship between the beat of the heart and the pulse? |
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Did you notice that some vessels have pulses and others do not? |
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Which vessels do you think would have the strongest pulses, ones coming from the heart or ones returning to the heart? As you get further and further from the heart, do you think you would find pulses? |
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Now with your group, discuss and draw your ideas about the structure and function of the different kinds of blood vessels. Discuss possible differences and reasons for these differences. Use the whiteboard for group drawings. |
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