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Your blood flows through your entire body in small tunnels called blood vessels.
Your Blood Makes Two Trips
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1. Heart 2. Aorta
3. Arteries 4. Veins
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One is short and one is long. During the short trip your blood is pumped to the lungs where it gets rid of any carbon dioxide when you exhale (breathe out), and it fills up on oxygen when you inhale (breathe in).
During the longer trip, the blood travels through your whole body, even to the tiniest little cell before it returns to your heart. When it passes through your heart it leaves nourishment so that the heart has the strength to beat.
When your blood passes through the kidneys, it is cleansed of some waste and in the small intestine it absorbs nourishment from what you eat and drink. Your blood carries this nourishment to other parts of your body.
The Blood Vessels
Your blood vessels divide up into smaller and smaller tunnels, this means that your blood can reach every little part of your body. The smallest blood vessels, which are as thin as hairs are called capillaries. This is where your blood hands over its oxygen and the nourishment it is carrying, so that every cell gets what it needs.
The cells in turn hand back any carbon dioxide and other waste, which the blood then carries with it on its journey. The blood continues from the capillaries and onto the veins. The blood is now on its way back to the heart. When it reaches the heart it is once again pumped to your lungs for a new trip.
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