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
- SL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing6%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceMay 2025
Most common paperPaper2
Typical marks1–7
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 2025Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ37(c)[ 7 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
November 2024Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ24(b)[ 2 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
November 2024Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ24(a)[ 1 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
May 2024Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ15(a)[ 1 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
May 2018Paper2 ["SL"] · TZ13(b)[ 3 ]B3.2.2—Artery and vein structure
Practice this objective
Coverage 2013–2025 · 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.