Final answer:
Arteries expand during systole to receive blood and recoil during diastole. This is due to the elastic fibers present in the artery walls. The elastic recoil of conducting arteries helps maintain the pressure gradient that drives blood through the arterial system.
Step-by-step explanation:
An artery is a blood vessel that conducts blood away from the heart. Arteries expand during systole to receive blood and recoil during diastole. This expansion and recoiling effect, known as the pulse, is due to the elastic fibers present in the artery walls. If artery walls were rigid and unable to expand and recoil, blood pressure would increase and the heart would have to work harder to maintain adequate pressure and flow. The elastic recoil of conducting arteries helps maintain the pressure gradient that drives blood through the arterial system.