Florida Basic Recruit Training Program High Liability (First Aid) Practice Exam

What type of small vessels connect arteries to veins?

1. Veins

2. Capillaries

3. Arteries

4. Plasma

The correct answer is: Capillaries

Capillaries are the small vessels that connect arteries to veins, serving as the sites of nutrient, gas, and waste exchange between blood and the tissues of the body. They play a crucial role in the circulatory system, being one cell thick to allow for efficient transfer of substances. As blood flows from the arteries into the capillaries, oxygen and nutrients diffuse out to the cells, while waste products like carbon dioxide move from the cells back into the blood. After this exchange occurs, the deoxygenated blood flushes into the venous system through these same capillaries, making them essential for maintaining homeostasis within the body. Other options like veins and arteries are larger blood vessels that transport blood but do not facilitate the exchange of materials. Plasma, on the other hand, is the liquid component of blood that carries cells, nutrients, and waste but is not a type of vessel.