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Blood October 15, 2002 |
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BLOOD FACTS |
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What is blood and what does blood do for you? Blood is a fluid made up of cells and a watery part. It supplies all parts of your body with the oxygen and nutrients you need to stay alive. Blood carries away your body's wastes such as carbon dioxide. Blood protects you from germs that can cause disease. Blood can warm you up or cool you down and help heal wounds.
How does blood move throughout your body? Your body has a network of tubes, called blood vessels, through which blood flows. The names of these blood vessels are: arteries, veins, and capillaries. Blood constantly flows from your heart, around your body and back to your heart through these vessels. The heart has a very important job! Here are the details.  The
heart is a big muscle about the size of your fist. Its job is to pump blood
to all parts of the body. The heart beats 70 -80 times a minute and it beats
more than thirty million times a year! It never stops! The heart has four
chambers (like rooms); two atria, and
two ventricles. Your heart, blood,
and blood vessels all work together. This is called the circulatory
system. Find out more about two kinds of circulation (systemic circulation
and pulmonary circulation) by viewing this ANIMATION.What is your pulse?  Your arteries expand and contract when the lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles, contract. You can feel this throbbing at a few places on your body where the arteries are close to the skin. This is called your pulse. Now try this activity: Seeing your Pulse.  What
is your blood pressure?Your blood pressure is the pressure made by the heart in full contraction, and the pressure made when the contraction stops. Have fun learning about Blood Pressure , and how to say the name of this sphygmomanometer. Where is blood made? How do you replace red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets that die? Red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells are made by special cells in the marrow of our largest bones. Some cells are made in the spleen and lymph glands. Why is your blood red? The Franklin Institute has the answer. What is blood donation? Did you know that you can donate blood? Find out about blood donation from The New York Blood Center. |
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 What
are Blood Types?
In 1902 Karl Landsteiner discovered there are several types of human blood. He called these "A, B, AB, O". This is important to know because the recipient of a blood transfusion must have the same blood type as the donor of the blood. If they don't match - illness or death could result. Study more about the history & pioneers of blood research at PBS's Red Gold: The Epic Story of Blood. |
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What can you do to keep your heart healthy? Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the United States. Find out what you can do to keep your heart healthy, and have a great life. Get regular exercise, eat a balanced diet, and don't smoke!!! |
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You
probably have seen blood sometime in your life. 
