B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
Arteries and veins share layered vessel walls but differ clearly in wall thickness, lumen size, pressure conditions, elastic tissue and valve presence.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Objective
- B3.2.2
- Level
- HL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing3%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceMay 2023
Most common paperPaper1
Typical marks1
Common command terms
- Identify
- Label
- Describe
- Explain
- Distinguish
Scoring notes
- Common mistake
- Using non-visible features such as valves when a micrograph question asks for visible artery-vein differences.
Recent exam appearances
May 2023Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ120[ 1 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
May 2022Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ220[ 1 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
May 2016Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ036[ 1 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
Practice this objective
Coverage 2016–2023 · Updated 15 Jul 2026
Concept essentials
- Arteries have thicker walls and smaller lumens than veins.
- Veins have larger lumens and valves for low-pressure return.
- Elastic tissue is more prominent in arteries and helps smooth pressure pulses.
- Visible lumen and wall thickness are key features in vessel micrographs.