In: Anatomy and Physiology
| ARTERIES | VEINS |
| 1. The walls of arteries are rigid, thicker and highly muscular. | 1. The walls of veins are thin and collapsible. |
| 2. They are deeply situated within the body. | 2. They are superficial, peripherally located closer to the skin. |
| 3. Arteries are red in colour. | 3. Veins are blue in colour. |
| 4. The pure, oxygenated blood, rich in nutrients is carried by the arteries. | 4. The impure, deoxygenated blood is carried by the veins. |
| 5. Arteries carry blood away from the heart to various parts of the body. | 5. Veins carry blood from the various parts of the body towards the heart. |
| 6. The pressure is high as the blood flows by the pumping pressure of the heart. | 6. The pressure is low as the blood flows by the capillary action of the veins. |
| 7. Oxygen levels are quite high in the arterial blood. | 7. Oxygen level is low comparatively. |
| 8. Lumen is narrow and there are no valves in the artery vessels. | 8. Lumen is wide and there are valves in the veins allowing blood to flow in the upward direction. |