Outline the main differences between an artery and a vein? (6 marks)

An artery carries blood away from the heart. The blood is oxygenated with the exception of the pulmonary and umbilical artery. The vessel must cope with high pressure demands and therefore has thick, elastic walls. On the other hand, veins carry blood towards the heart, which is usually deoxygenated. They are thinner vessles compared to arteries and contain vlaves which prevent backward blood flow. Veins are also usually more superficial compared to arteries.

KB
Answered by Katy B. Biology tutor

2680 Views

See similar Biology GCSE tutors

Related Biology GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Explain the functions of the different cell structures in an animal cell


How does temperature affect enzyme activity?


Why do different blood vessels have different lumen sizes (relative to their overall size)?


What are the differences between transcription and translation?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning