Final answer:
The statement provided is false; capillaries are the smallest blood vessels that facilitate the exchange of gases and nutrients between blood and tissues, connecting arterioles and venules, not large blood vessels near the heart.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Capillaries are large blood vessels that are near the heart and connect arteries to veins' is false. Capillaries are actually the smallest blood vessels in the cardiovascular system. They connect arterioles, which are small branches of arteries, to venules, which are small branches of veins. Capillaries are crucial for the exchange of gases, nutrients, and wastes between the blood and the body's tissues.
They form intricate networks called capillary beds, which are interwoven among the cells and tissues throughout the body. The arterial system delivers blood to the capillary beds, where it releases oxygen and nutrients and picks up carbon dioxide and waste products. Then, the capillaries merge into venules, which connect to veins that return the blood to the heart. This process ensures that every cell in the body is in close proximity to a capillary for efficient material exchange.