Year 6 Science · The circulatory system and transport · Summary
Year 6 Science The circulatory system and transport: summary and key words
Part of the Year 6 Science the circulatory system and transport chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| The heart | A muscular pump with four chambers: two atria receive blood and two ventricles pump it out. |
| The loop | Blood goes from the heart to the lungs for oxygen, then from the heart to the body and back. |
| Blood vessels | Arteries carry blood away, with thick walls. Veins carry blood back, with valves. Capillaries exchange substances. |
| Blood | Plasma carries everything. Red cells carry oxygen, white cells fight infection, platelets help blood clot. |
| Transport | Blood carries nutrients, water and oxygen to body cells, and carries carbon dioxide and urea away. |
| Pulse | Count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. The heart beats faster during exercise. |
Can you…?
- I can name the four chambers of the heart and say what each one does
- I can describe the loop from the heart to the lungs and to the body
- I can compare arteries, veins and capillaries
- I can name the four parts of blood and say what each one does
- I can say how nutrients, water and oxygen are carried to the body cells
- I can measure a pulse for 15 seconds and work out beats per minute
Key terms
- circulatory system
- the heart, blood vessels and blood, which carry substances round the body
- atrium (atria)
- one of the two upper chambers of the heart, which receive blood
- ventricle
- one of the two lower chambers of the heart, which pump blood out
- artery
- a blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart
- vein
- a blood vessel that carries blood back to the heart, with valves inside
- capillary
- a tiny blood vessel with walls one cell thick, where substances pass to and from the body cells
- plasma
- the liquid part of blood, which carries the other parts and dissolved substances
- platelet
- a small piece of blood that helps it to clot
- nutrient
- a substance from food that the body uses for growth, repair and energy
- pulse
- the beat you can feel in an artery, caused by the heart pumping blood