Biology 9700 · AS & A Level
The circulatory system
86 practice questions on The circulatory system, with worked solutions and instant marking.
What does systolic blood pressure mean?
May/June 2010
Which characteristics allow the aorta to withstand the high pressure during ventricular systole?
May/June 2011
What effect could result from breathing in the nicotine present in tobacco smoke?
May/June 2011
The leaves of tobacco plants, Nicotiana spp, contain a high nicotine concentration, which is the addictive part of tobacco smoke. Scientists are continually searching for methods to breed tobacco plants with a lower nicotine content.
May/June 2011
Each group of graphs shows data for blood vessels in the order: artery, arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins. Which group is correct?
May/June 2012
Which constituent of tobacco smoke results in higher blood pressure?
May/June 2012
The photomicrographs display transverse sections of arteries taken from a non-smoker and from a smoker. Using the evidence shown above, which disease is most likely to develop in the smoker?
May/June 2012
Fig. 1.1 shows an electron micrograph of the cross section of a blood vessel.
May/June 2012
Which structural features allow the aorta to withstand ventricular systole?
May/June 2013
Several different tissues are present in the walls of major blood vessels. Which row correctly names the main tissues found in the three layers of an artery wall?
May/June 2013
How do carbon monoxide and nicotine affect the cardiovascular system?
May/June 2013
Capillaries are referred to as exchange vessels. As blood moves through the capillaries, substances are exchanged between the blood and tissue fluid. Fig. 1.1 is an electron micrograph of a capillary section containing two red blood cells.
May/June 2013
What features enable an artery to withstand changes in the pressure of the blood flowing through it?
May/June 2014
Which of the following is not a factor that affects blood pressure?
May/June 2014
Fig. 6.1 shows a cross-section of a diseased artery from a smoker.
May/June 2014
Red blood cells outside the body can be kept intact by placing them in a $0.9\%$ sodium chloride solution. This is called normal saline solution. Fig. 3.1 depicts intact red blood cells.
May/June 2015
Fig. 4.1 illustrates the way blood pressure varies in the human systemic circulation.
May/June 2015
Which of the tissue types listed below can be found in the walls of every blood vessel?
May/June 2016
Fig. 4.1 shows a simplified diagram of a mammal’s circulatory system, and part of the lymph system is also illustrated.
May/June 2016
What does systolic blood pressure mean?
May/June 2017
Several different tissues are present in the walls of large blood vessels. Which row correctly names the main tissues found in the three layers of the wall of an artery?
May/June 2017
As blood moves from an artery into a vein, the pressure in the vessels varies. The four graphs show data for the blood vessels in the order given. Which graph correctly represents these changes?
May/June 2017
In multicellular organisms, each cell type has a structure suited to its role. Cells also contain several different organelles, and each organelle has a specific function. Table 1.1 gives information on the structure and function of five distinct cell types. For each cell type, the table also names one organelle that is essential for that function to take place.
May/June 2017
Mammals show a closed double circulation system.
May/June 2017
One short-term consequence of smoking is a reduction in the blood supply to the fingers and toes. Which component of cigarette smoke is responsible for this effect?
May/June 2018
Which blood vessel has walls that are the thickest?
May/June 2018
Which statement concerning the function of the heart, blood vessels and blood in the mammalian circulatory system is correct?
May/June 2018
The diagram depicts a transverse section of an artery. Which statement describes the tissues found in layer X?
May/June 2019
The large arteries near the heart contain a thick elastic layer in their walls. Which of the following statements about this layer are correct?
May/June 2019
The table presents some details about three blood vessels, P, Q and R, taken from a mammal. Which row correctly identifies blood vessels P, Q and R?
May/June 2019
The graph shows information about blood vessels and blood flow. Which row correctly names the curves?
May/June 2020
Which blood components are found in lymph?
May/June 2020
Which statements concerning blood vessels are correct?
May/June 2020
Fig. 3.1 is a photomicrograph showing a section through two different kinds of blood vessel, X and Y.
May/June 2020
Which row gives the correct mean blood pressure in the different regions of the human circulatory system?
May/June 2021
Which structures are present in arteries?
May/June 2021
In mammals, certain cell signalling molecules are steroid (lipid) hormones. They are carried in the bloodstream until they arrive at capillary networks. At a capillary network, the hormones leave the blood and move into tissue fluid.
May/June 2021
The diagram illustrates a transverse section of an artery. Which tissues are found in layer X?
May/June 2022
What does systolic blood pressure mean?
May/June 2022
Which plan diagram shows the tissues found in a major vein?
May/June 2022
The photomicrograph displays a cross-section of a structure present in mammals, as seen under a light microscope. What are the principal components of layer W?
May/June 2022
Which option correctly connects muscular or elastic arteries with what they do?
May/June 2022
The photomicrograph displays two blood vessels, P and Q. These two blood vessels belong to a network that carries blood throughout the body. Which row gives the correct identities for blood vessel P and blood vessel Q?
May/June 2023
Water makes up the largest part of blood.
May/June 2024
The diagrams illustrate three kinds of blood cells, and they are all shown to the same scale. Which row displays the cells’ characteristics?
May/June 2025
What two terms are used to describe the mammalian circulatory system?
May/June 2025
One role of an arteriole is to regulate blood flow to tissues by increasing or reducing it. Which of these must be found in an arteriole wall to make this possible?
May/June 2025
The table gives the blood pressures in different sections of the circulatory system of a person who is seated and at rest. What percentage decrease in blood pressure occurs between the arteriole and the arterial end of a capillary?
May/June 2025
The mammalian circulatory system is referred to as a closed double circulation. The diagram illustrates the circulatory system in another organism. The arrows indicate the direction in which blood moves through the vessels. How would the circulatory system in this organism be described?
Oct/Nov 2010
In what way does nicotine in cigarette smoke raise the risk of cardiac disease?
Oct/Nov 2010
Which of the tissue types listed below are found in the walls of every blood vessel?
Oct/Nov 2010
The circulatory system of mammals is referred to as a closed double circulation. The diagram depicts the circulatory system of another organism. The arrows indicate the direction in which blood moves through the vessels. How would you describe the circulatory system in this organism?
Oct/Nov 2010
Which blood components are also found in lymph?
Oct/Nov 2011
Cardiovascular disease is described as multifactorial. What is meant by this?
Oct/Nov 2011
Which statement describes how smoking contributes to cardiovascular disease?
Oct/Nov 2011
The arteries nearest the heart have a thick elastic layer in their walls. Which of these statements about this layer are correct?
Oct/Nov 2011
Which parts of the blood are also found in lymph?
Oct/Nov 2011
The diagram illustrates the heart and some of its blood vessels. Which combination of numbers correctly identifies the blood vessels that deliver blood to the heart and carry blood away from the heart?
Oct/Nov 2012
The normal venous pressure in the feet is $3.3\,\text{kPa}$. If a person stands very still, venous blood pressure in the feet increases to $5.0\,\text{kPa}$. What causes this high pressure?
Oct/Nov 2012
Which row correctly lists every blood vessel that has the features shown in the table below?
Oct/Nov 2012
Cholesterol is made in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) of liver cells through a sequence of enzyme-catalysed reactions. In the SER, cholesterol and triglyceride molecules are enclosed by proteins and phospholipids, forming lipoproteins. These lipoprotein particles then move into the Golgi apparatus, where they are packaged into vesicles and carried to the blood. Fig. 4.1 is an electron micrograph of part of a liver cell showing lipoprotein particles within the Golgi apparatus.
Oct/Nov 2013
Fig. 1.1 shows a transverse section of a vein. A line X-Y is drawn across the vein, and the diagram is given at a magnification of $\times 35$.
Oct/Nov 2013
Which row gives the correct answer for the pulmonary vein?
Oct/Nov 2014
Which component or components of tobacco smoke bring about higher blood pressure and greater clotting?
Oct/Nov 2014
Which statement regarding the pulmonary artery is correct?
Oct/Nov 2015
Tobacco smoking is recognised as being linked with atherosclerosis and emphysema.
Oct/Nov 2015
The diagram illustrates a section of the circulation system of a mammal. In which location are both the blood pressure and the flow speed at their lowest?
Oct/Nov 2016
The items below are all structural parts of blood vessels. 1 collagen fibres 2 elastic fibres 3 endothelial cells 4 smooth muscle cells Which row shows the components found in an artery and a vein?
Oct/Nov 2016
Which row could be right for the average blood pressure in different regions of the human circulatory system?
Oct/Nov 2016
Fig. 4.1 shows a cross-section through a human renal artery, a vessel that carries blood to the kidney.
Oct/Nov 2016
Which short-term effects does nicotine have on the cardiovascular system?
Oct/Nov 2017
Which plan diagram shows the tissues in a major vein?
Oct/Nov 2019
In mammals, arteries split into narrower blood vessels known as arterioles. These arterioles then divide to form capillaries, which deliver blood to tissues.
Oct/Nov 2019
Why is the mammalian circulatory system said to have a double circulation?
Oct/Nov 2020
What structures are found in the walls of veins?
Oct/Nov 2020
The diagram illustrates part of the circulatory system in a mammal. In which part are blood pressure and flow speed at their lowest?
Oct/Nov 2021
The photomicrograph depicts human blood cells. What kind of blood cell is X?
Oct/Nov 2021
What are the short-term effects of nicotine on the cardiovascular system?
Oct/Nov 2021
Which tissue types are found in the walls of every blood vessel?
Oct/Nov 2021
Fig. 2.1 shows a transmission electron micrograph of a cross-section through a blood capillary that is surrounded by cells with a high rate of respiration.
Oct/Nov 2021
Because the blood pressure is high at the arterial end of the capillary network, some blood components move out of the capillaries and become tissue fluid. At the venous end, plasma proteins help water to move back into the capillaries by osmosis. Fig. 2.1 shows a capillary network, together with the lymph vessels and the blood vessels at the arterial and venous ends of the network.
Oct/Nov 2021
Fig. 2.1 shows a simplified diagram of the human circulatory system.
Oct/Nov 2022
The mammalian circulatory system is specialised for carrying the respiratory gases oxygen and carbon dioxide over long distances. It is described as a closed double circulation.
Oct/Nov 2022
What is found in the inner layer of veins and capillaries?
Oct/Nov 2023
The liver gets blood from the hepatic artery and also from the hepatic portal vein. The hepatic portal vein carries blood from the digestive system. Hepatocytes are the liver’s principal cell type. Their roles are varied and include: • making triglycerides and plasma proteins • removing toxic waste • storing energy.
Oct/Nov 2023
Which row gives the correct description of an artery?
Oct/Nov 2024