7.4- THE STRUCTURE OF THE HEART Flashcards
What is the heart?
muscular organ that lies in the thoracic cavity behind the sternum (breastbone)
How long does the heart operate?
operates continuously + tirelessly throughout life of organism
What is the human heart really?
two separate pumps lying side by side
What does the left pump of the heart deal with?
oxygenated blood from lungs
What does the right side of the heart deal with?
deoxygenated blood from body
What are the names of the two chambers that each pump of the heart has?
atrium
ventricle
What is the atrium?
thin-walled + elastic + stretches as it collects blood
What is the ventricle?
thick muscular wall as it has to contract strongly to pump blood some distance, either to lungs or rest of body
Why does blood have to pass through tiny capillaries in the lungs?
to present a large SA for exchange of gases
What does blood having to pass through tiny capillaries in the lungs cause?
very large drop in pressure + so blood flow to rest of body would be very slow
What do mammals have as the blood pressure drops due to blood passing through tiny capillaries in the lungs?
mammals have system in which blood returned to rest of body
What is it essential to separate in the heart?
essential to keep oxygenated blood in pump on left side separate from deoxygenated in pump on right
Where does the right ventricle only pump blood to
pumps bloody only to lungs
What is the muscular wall of the right ventricle like in comparison to the left ventricle?
thinner muscular wall than left ventricle
Why does the left ventricle have a thick muscular wall?
enables it to contract to create enough pressure to pump blood to rest of body