Final answer:
The Circulatory system, which includes the heart, blood, and blood vessels, is responsible for transporting oxygen to body tissues and removing carbon dioxide. Red blood cells pick up oxygen in the lungs and deliver it to tissues, while carrying away the resultant waste.
Step-by-step explanation:
The circulatory system is made up of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. It functions to deliver oxygen to each cell for aerobic cellular respiration, which is crucial for producing energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Oxygen enters the blood in the lungs where red blood cells, acting as transport vehicles, pick up the oxygen and carry it through blood vessels to various tissues and cells.
Simultaneously, carbon dioxide, a waste product from cellular respiration, is transported from the cells back to the lungs to be exhaled. Thus, while the respiratory system is responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with the external environment, the circulatory system is responsible for distributing these gases throughout the body. The arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart, whereas veins bring oxygen-poor blood back to the heart for re-oxygenation.