Topic One (1.1): Transport Around the Body
Introduction
To start with, you will be looking at the special properties of water, and how this relates to it being an important transport medium, as well as performing many other functions.
Finally, you will be going over the structure and functions of arteries and veins, which you may recognise from previous study, but you must ensure that your answers are now given to a higher standard, using the new details that you will learn here.
Reading
Salters-Nuffield A Level Biology Student Book 1 pages 6 to 10 (up to the end of ‘The structure of blood vessels’)
Read and Make Notes
Read pages 6 to 10, making notes (always include key definitions) and completing the ‘in-text’ questions.
Unfortunately, we don’t have access to the online Student Activities mentioned in the textbook, but many of them have been covered in additional resources instead.
Consolidate
Now consolidate your understanding by working through these additional resources:
EXPLORE – ‘Hydrogen Bonding’ Topic & Skill Test (Khan Academy) Links to an external site.
READ – Water Factsheet Download READ – Water Factsheet
WATCH – Water: The Strangest Chemical in the Universe (The Guardian) Links to an external site.
EXPLORE – Heart Topic (Khan Academy) Links to an external site.
WATCH – Heart Dissection (Twig) Links to an external site.
READ - Heart Dissection Download READ - Heart Dissection
- Using the Heart Dissection PDF on Canvas, you could carry out a heart dissection at home. You can obtain a sheep’s heart at many butcheries.
REVIEW – Blood Vessel Flash Cards Download REVIEW – Blood Vessel Flash Cards
PRINT OFF & COMPLETE – Blood Vessels Worksheet Download PRINT OFF & COMPLETE – Blood Vessels Worksheet
WATCH – Blood Vessels (YouTube) Links to an external site.
Tasks
Complete the following:
- Make a summary sheet outlining the similarities and differences in the structure, function and content of different blood vessels.
Top Tips
Make sure that you understand the following key points:
- The properties of water depend on its structure – be able to connect the two concepts together.
- Be able to relate the structure (physical properties) of arteries and veins with their function (what they have to do, or the different conditions they have to cope with).
Key Terms
Add the following key terms to your glossary:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Coronary heart disease
- Mass flow
- Single and double circulatory systems
- Polar and dipole
- Hydrogen bonding
- Hydrophilic and hydrophobic
- Cardiac muscle
- Artery, vein and capillary
- All the labels on page 9