THE PREPARATORY PATHWAY

PRIMARY YEARS - 3
CHAPTER THE RESPIRATORY AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

SYNOPSIS SCIENCE

HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

• The human respiratory system is a system of organs responsible for inhaling
oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide in humans.
• Breathing starts when you inhale air into your nose or mouth. Two types of
movements happen in the chest region during breathing-inhalation and
exhalation.
• Inhalation is the stage in breathing where we take in air from our surroundings.
• Exhalation is the stage in breathing where we breathe out or expel air from our
body.
• The air we breathe is rich in oxygen and the air we breathe out is rich in carbon
dioxide. It also contains some water vapour and germs.
• When we breathe in air, our lungs enlarge and our chest moves outwards.
• When we breathe out air, our lungs release air and our chest move inwards.
ORGANS OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
• The organs involved in respiratory system are nose and mouth, pharynx and
larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, lungs, diaphragm, ribcage and
epiglottis.
• Nose and mouth: These are the entry points for air to enter the respiratory system.
• Pharynx and Larynx : The pharynx and larynx form part of the upper respiratory
tract and help filter and warm incoming air. The larynx, also known as the voice
box, is responsible for producing sound.
• Trachea : The trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the throat to the
lungs. It carries air to and from the lungs and is lined with tiny hairs that help trap
and remove foreign particles.
• Bronchi : The trachea branches o into two bronchi, one for each lung. The
bronchi are responsible for carrying air from the trachea to the lungs.

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• Bronchioles : The bronchioles are small branches within the lungs that help
transport air to the alveoli. They are responsible for distributing air throughout
the lungs.
• Alveoli : The alveoli are tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of gases
takes place. Oxygen from inhaled air moves across the walls of the alveoli and
into the bloodstream, while carbon dioxide from the bloodstream moves into the
alveoli to be exhaled.
• Lungs : The lungs are the main organs involved in respiration. They are
responsible for taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. The right lung is
divided into three lobes, while the left lung is divided into two lobes.
• Diaphragm : The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle that separates the
chest from the abdomen. It plays a crucial role in breathing by contracting and
relaxing to facilitate the movement of air in and out of the lungs.
• Ribcage : The ribcage is a bony structure that surrounds and protects the
respiratory organs. It expands and contracts as we breathe, allowing the lungs to
fill with air.
• Epiglottis : The epiglottis is a flap of cartilage located at the base of the tongue.
It prevents food and drink from entering the windpipe (trachea) during
swallowing.

Human Circulatory System

• The human circulatory system is also known as the cardiovascular system or the
blood vascular system.
• It is a crucial organ system that helps to transport nutrients, oxygen, carbon
dioxide, hormones and blood cells in our body to provide nourishment and helps
in fighting diseases.
• There are 3 main components of our cardiovascular system, namely: The Heart,
Blood vessels and Blood.
Blood :
• Blood is the most essential fluid in our body. It is a red body fluid which circulates
to every part of our body to transport the necessary nutrients and oxygen.

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• It also carries carbon dioxide and other wastes from the cells that are
produced during metabolism and energy production.
• Our blood is majorly composed of plasma (which is a yellowish watery liquid)
and blood cells.
• The plasma carries everything in the blood and transports along with it as the
heart pumps the blood.
• Our body contains 3 main types of blood cells, they are red blood cells, white
blood cells and platelets. Our bone marrow contains stem cells which develop
into RBCs, WBCs, and platelets.
Red Blood Cells (RBCs) : These cells carry oxygen to every part of our body.
• They are also referred as erythrocytes (from Greek – erythros means red) RBCs
contain haemoglobin.
• Haemoglobin is a protein responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the
rest of our body and then returns carbon dioxide from the body back to the
lungs so it can be exhaled.
• The colour of our blood is bright red as it absorbs fresh oxygen.
White Blood Cells (WBCs) : These cells play a crucial role in our immune system.
They are also called leucocytes.
• They are involved in the protection of our body against infectious diseases and
foreign invaders.
• When our body gets sick, it increases the blood and body temperature so as to
make more WBCs to fight against infections.
They are of 5 types of WBCs they are neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, lymphocyte,
and monocyte.
Platelets : These are small and colourless cell fragments in our blood which form
clots.
• They stop or prevent bleeding. They are also referred as thrombocytes.
• They are produced in our bone marrow.
Blood vessels
• Blood vessels are a network of tubes that carry blood throughout the body. The
major types of blood vessels are arteries, veins, and capillaries.
• Arteries : Arteries are the largest of the blood vessels, and they carry blood
away from the heart to various parts of the body. They have thick walls made
up of three distinct layers: the innermost layer (endothelium), a thick middle
layer of smooth muscle and elastic fibers, and an outer layer of connective
tissue. When we feel our pulse, this is from an artery.

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• Veins : Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart. They have
thin walls compared to arteries and contain valves to prevent blood from
flowing backward. Veins also have a larger lumen (central opening) than
arteries, allowing them to carry more blood.
• Capillaries : Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in the body, and they
connect arterioles (small arteries) and venules (small veins). Capillary walls are
only one cell thick, allowing for the exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste
products between the blood and tissues.
THE HEART AND ITS STRUCTURE
• The heart is a muscular organ that is roughly the size of a fist. It is located in the
chest, behind the breastbone (sternum) and between the lungs.
• The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body, delivering
oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and organs and removing waste products.
• The heart has four chambers: the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left
atrium, and the left ventricle. The atria are the upper chambers, while ventricles
are the lower chambers.
• Blood flows from the body into the right atrium, then through the tricuspid
valve into the right ventricle. The right ventricle then pumps the blood through
the pulmonary valve and into the lungs, where it picks up oxygen.
• Oxygen-rich blood then returns to the heart, entering the left atrium. Blood
flows through the mitral valve into the left ventricle, which pumps it through the
aortic valve and into the body's arteries.
• There are four valves in the heart, each of which keeps blood flowing in the
right direction and prevents backflow.
• The heart rate can be measured by counting the number of beats per minute
(bpm).
• A normal resting heart rate is typically between 60 and 100 bpm, though it may
vary depending on age, fitness levels, and other factors.

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Achiever - 1

1. When we ________________ air our lungs enlarge and our chest moves
outwards.
a. breathe in b. breathe out
c. hold d. exhale
2. It is also known as voice box.
a. pharynx b. larynx
c. trachea d. bronchi
3. It is a flap of cartilage located at the base of the tongue.
a. diaphragm b. alveoli
c. pharynx d. epiglottis
4. These cells carry oxygen to every part of our body.
a. RBCs b. WBCs
c. Platelets d. leucocytes
5. Red blood cells are also called as
a. leucocytes b. erythrocytes
c. basophil d. neutrophil
6. The smallest blood vessels in the human body
a. arteries b. veins
c. capillaries d. aorta
7. The upper chambers of the heart are called as
a. atria b. ventricles
c. aorta d. vena cava
8. The normal resting heart rate is typically between _______________ bpm.
a. 70 and 110 b. 80 and 90
c. 60 and 100 d. 50 and 60
9. It stops or prevent bleeding.
a. RBCs b. WBCs
c. Platelets d. Haemoglobin
10. It is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen.
a. cardiac muscle b. diaphragm
c. epiglottis d. bronchioles

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Achiever - 2

11. The __________ blood that flows from the heart to all corners of the body.
a. oxygenated b. deoxygenated
c. impure d. both b and c
12. The heart is a muscular organ that is roughly the size of_____.
a. hand b. arm
c. fist d. thumb
13. These are the thin walled blood vessels.
a. arteries b. veins
c. capillaries d. venules
14. The small and colourless cell fragments in our blood which form clots.
a. WBC b. RBC
c. platelets d. plasma
15. The colour of our blood is bright red as it absorbs ___________.
a. carbon dioxide b. oxygen
c. nutrients d. water
16. White blood cells are also called as
a. leucocytes b. erythrocytes
c. basophil d. neutrophil
17. The main component of cardiovascular system.
a. heart b. blood vessels
c. blood d. all of these
18. These are tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of gases takes place.
a. bronchioles b. alveoli
c. bronchi d. gas sacs
19. It contains haemoglobin.
a. WBC b. RBC
c. platelets d. plasma
20. It is also known as the voice box and is responsible for producing sound.
a. pharynx b. larynx
c. wind pipe d. trachea

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Answer Keys
ACHIEVER-1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
a b d a b c a c c b

ACHIEVER-2
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
a c b c b a d b b b

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