The Gulf of Mexico covers a surface area of 579,153 sq miles (1.5 million sq km), and is measured 994 miles (1,600 km) west to east, and 559 miles (900 km) north to south.
After travelling from the aorta, blood travels through peripheral arteries into smaller arteries called arterioles, and eventually to capillaries. Arterioles help in regulating blood pressure by the variable contraction of the smooth muscle of their walls, and deliver blood to the capillaries.
A: The function of the arteries is to carry oxygenated blood to organs and cells in the body. Because of this, arterial blood has a bright red color and flows away from the heart. Arterial walls have three layers. The outer layer is elastic connective tissue, and the middle layer is made out of muscle.