AMITY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, NOIDA

CLASS X BIOLOGY

CHAPTER: LIFE PROCESSES

HANDOUT 2

Topic-TRANSPORTATION

⮚ Human Circulatory System

Circulatory system is responsible for transportation of various substances in human beings. It is composed of
the heart, arteries, veins and blood capillaries. Blood plays the role of the carrier for substances in the body.

⮚ Heart -

● Heart is a muscular organ which is composed of cardiac muscles. The heart is a pumping organ which
pumps the blood throughout the body.

● Heart is a triangular shaped structure. It is located in the thoracic cavity inside the rib cage between
lungs above the diaphragm and tilted towards the left.

● The human heart is composed of four chambers, viz. right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium and left
ventricle.
 ● Valve allows one way flow of liquid.

● Septum is a partition which separates right and left heart.

⮚ BLOOD CIRCULATION THROUGH THE HEART -

There are some terms related to blood circulation through the heart which are given below.

Oxygenated Blood: Blood in which oxygen is mixed is called Oxygenated Blood.

Deoxygenated Blood: Blood in which carbon dioxide is mixed is called Oxygenated Blood.

Left atrium: It collects blood from lungs and passes to left ventricle.

Left ventricle: It pumps blood so that it can reach to all body parts.

Right atrium: Collects blood from body organs and passes to right ventricle.

Right ventricle: It pumps deoxygenated blood to lungs.

⮚ DOUBLE CIRCULATION OF BLOOD

Pulmonary Circulation: Deoxygenated blood moves from heart to lungs and converts into oxygenated blood
and then this oxygenated blood moves back to heart. This one circulation of blood is called Pulmonary
Circulation.

Systemic Circulation: In another cycle of blood circulation, oxygenated blood moves from heart to other
organs and converts into deoxygenated blood and then this deoxygenated blood moves back to heart. This
circulation of blood is called Systemic Circulation.

● Thus in the human body, blood passes through the heart twice. This type of circulation is called
DOUBLE CIRCULATION.
● Double circulation ensures complete segregation of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood which is
necessary for optimum energy production in warm-blooded animals.

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Circulation of Blood through the heart:

Vena Cava → Right Atrium → Right Ventricle → Pulmonary Artery →Lungs → Pulmonary Vein → Left
Atrium → Left Ventricle →Aorta.

Note: The blue colour shows deoxygenated blood, while the red colour shows oxygenated blood.

⮚ Blood Vessels -

Blood vessels are of three types:

(i). Arteries (ii). Veins (iii). Capillaries

Differences between arteries and veins-

Arteries Veins

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 Arteries carry blood from heart to different
Veins carry blood from different organs to the heart.
organs.

In arteries, blood flows with high pressure. In veins, blood flows with low pressure.

Valves are present in arteries to prevent backflow of

No valves are present in arteries.
blood.

These are thick-walled blood vessels. These are thin-walled blood vessels.

Walls of arteries are elastic in nature. Walls of veins are non-elastic in nature.

Veins are present deep as well as near the surface of the

Arteries are present generally deep in the body.
body.

EXCEPTIONS:-

(Pulmonary arteries are exceptions because they carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to lungs; where
oxygenation of blood takes place. Pulmonary veins are exceptions because they carry oxygenated blood from
lungs to the heart.)

Capillaries:

Capillaries are narrow, thin walled blood vessels between arteries and veins through which small
molecules/gases can easily diffuse and thus they are responsible for exchange of gases, food etc. between
blood and body parts.

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 ⮚ Functions of Circulatory System or Blood -

● Blood transports oxygen from lungs to body and carbon dioxide from body to lungs.

● Blood transports food from simple intestine to body.

● Blood transports hormones from glands to organs.

● Blood transports waste substances from body to kidney.

● Blood protects us from many diseases.

● Blood maintains body temperature to 37oC.

Relaxation and Contraction of Heart -

Cardiac Cycle: It is a periodic relaxation and contraction of muscles of heart.

● Systole: Contraction of cardiac muscles is called systole.

● Diastole: Relaxation of cardiac muscles is called diastole.

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Heartbeat: It is produced due to contraction and relaxation of heart.

● One complete cardiac cycle is equal to one heartbeat.

● The heart beats about 70 - 72 times per minute in a normal adult. In one cardiac cycle, the heart
pumps out 70 mL blood and thus about 4900 mL blood in a minute.
Pulse: Pulse is the periodic movement of artery due to periodic forceful movement of blood through it.

⮚ Components of Blood -

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Blood is a connective tissue which plays the role of the carrier for various substances in the body. Blood is
composed of plasma, blood cells and platelets.

● Blood Plasma: Blood plasma is a pale coloured liquid which is mostly composed of water. Blood plasma
forms the matrix of blood.
● Blood Cells: There are two types of blood cells, viz. Red Blood Cells (RBCs) and White Blood Cells
(WBCs).
● Red Blood Corpuscles (RBCs): These are of red colour because of the presence of haemoglobin which
is a pigment. Haemoglobin readily combines with oxygen and carbon dioxide. The transport of oxygen
happens through haemoglobin. Some part of carbon dioxide is also transported through haemoglobin.
● White Blood Corpuscles (WBCs): These are of pale white colour. They play an important role in
immunity.
● Platelets: Platelets are responsible for blood coagulation. Blood coagulation is a defense mechanism
which prevents excess loss of blood; in case of an injury.

⮚ Lymphatic System -

Lymph: It is similar to blood but RBCs are absent in lymph. Lymph is formed from the fluid which leaks from
blood capillaries and goes to the intercellular spaces in the tissues. This fluid is collected through lymph vessels
and finally returns to the blood capillaries. Lymphatic system picks lymph from body parts and dumps it to
veins going to the heart.

Function of Lymphatic System:

● It collects leftover plasma from various body parts.

● It is responsible for taking big molecules of proteins, fats etc. to blood.

● When lymph passes through lymphatic nodes germs are killed by WBC.

⮚ Transportation in Plants -

Plants have specialized vascular tissues for transportation of substances. There are two types of vascular
tissues in plants, viz. xylem and phloem.

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 ● Xylem: Xylem is responsible for transportation of water and minerals. It is composed of tracheids,
xylem vessels, xylem parenchyma and xylem fibre. Tracheids and xylem vessels are the conducting
elements. The xylem makes a continuous tube in plants which runs from roots to stem and right up to
the veins of leaves.
● Phloem: Phloem is responsible for transportation of food. Phloem is composed of sieve tubes,
companion cells, phloem parenchyma and fibres. Sieve tubes are the conducting elements in phloem.

Ascent of Sap:
The upward movement of water and minerals from roots to different plant parts is called ascent of sap. Many
factors are at play in the ascent of sap and it takes place in many steps. They are explained as follows:

● Root Pressure: The walls of cells of root hairs are very thin. Water; from soil enters the root hairs
because of osmosis. Root pressure is responsible for movement of water up to the base of the stem.
● Transpiration Pull: Loss of water vapours through stomata and lenticels; in plants; is called
transpiration. Transpiration through stomata creates a vacuum which creates a section; called
transpiration pull. The transpiration pull sucks the water column from the xylem tubes and thus water
is able to rise to great heights in even the tallest plants.

Transport of Food: Transport of food in plants happens because of utilization of energy. Thus, unlike the
transport through xylem; it is a form of active transport. Moreover, the flow of substances through phloem
takes place in both directions, i.e. it is a two-way traffic in phloem.

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Translocation is the movement of materials from leaves to other tissues throughout the plant. Plants produce
carbohydrates (sugars) in their leaves by photosynthesis, but non-photosynthetic parts of the plant also require
carbohydrates and other organic and inorganic materials.

In other words, translocation is the movement of water and other nutrients from soil to all parts of the plant.