Question

Suppose you are exercising vigorously. Maybe you are on the hike up to Sweeney Ridge. Your skeletal muscles are active, and require O2. The blood vessels in your skeletal muscles will be _________ , and the blood vessels associated with your digestive system will be ___________ .

a. constricted, dilated
b. constricted, constricted
c. dilated, constricted
d. dilated, dilated
e. all of the above Activity

Answer 1

c. dilated, constricted

Step-by-step explanation:

During exercise, more energy is required by skeletal muscles. Oxygen is an important component required for energy production hence supply of oxygen is also increased to skeletal muscles. This is done by increasing the blood flow to skeletal muscles since red blood cells carry oxygen. To increase the blood flow, blood vessels in skeletal muscles are dilated so that more blood can reach them.

Blood vessels of digestive system are constricted because during exercise digestion process is not the priority. More blood should reach skeletal muscles than digestive system.