What term names the body system that includes the heart and all blood vessels?

• A. Arteries
• B. Veins
• C. Cardiovascular system
• D. Capillaries

Answer: (C)

The system that includes the heart and all blood vessels is the cardiovascular system. This name reflects both the heart, which acts as the pump, and the vessels that carry blood throughout the body. Arteries, veins, and capillaries are the types of blood vessels within that system, each with a different role—arteries carry blood away from the heart, veins return it toward the heart, and capillaries are where exchange with tissues occurs. The term cardiovascular combines cardio- (heart) and vascular (blood vessels), so it literally names the network that coordinates pumping and circulation. While those vessels are part of the system, they’re not the system’s name themselves. (Some texts also use the synonym circulatory system, but the given term is cardiovascular system.)