Final answer:
The circulatory system carries deoxygenated blood from veins to the lungs where it is oxygenated; this oxygen-rich blood is then transported back to the heart and distributed through the body via arteries and arterioles, with gas exchange occurring in the capillaries. Deoxygenated blood returns to the heart through venules and veins to complete the circuit.
Step-by-step explanation:
Order of Blood Flow in the Circulatory System
The circulatory system is an extensive network of organs and vessels responsible for the flow of blood, nutrients, hormones, oxygen, and other gases to and from cells. The order of blood flow through the circulatory system starts with oxygen-depleted blood returning to the heart via the veins. It is then pumped to the lungs through the pulmonary artery to get oxygenated.
Once oxygenated in the lungs, blood returns to the heart through the pulmonary vein as oxygen-rich blood. The oxygenated blood is then pumped out of the heart through the aorta to distribute across the body through various arteries and arterioles into the capillaries, where gas exchange with tissues occurs. After passing through the capillary network, blood becomes deoxygenated and returns to the heart via venules and veins, completing the circuit.
The flow sequence and oxygenation status:
- Veins - deoxygenated
- Capillaries - oxygenated
- Arteries - oxygenated
- Venule - deoxygenated
- Arterioles - oxygenated
Correcting the information provided, blood in the pulmonary vein is oxygenated, blood in the inferior vena cava is deoxygenated, blood in the pulmonary artery is deoxygenated, and blood in the aorta is oxygenated.