Chapter 11: Vocabulary

Question 1

aorta

Answer 1

largest artery in the body

Question 2

apex of the heart

Answer 2

lower tip of the heart

Question 3

arteriole

Answer 3

small artery

Question 4

artery

Answer 4

largest type of blood vessel; carries blood away from the heart to all parts of the body

Question 5

atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His)

Answer 5

specialized muscle fiber connecting the atria with the ventricles and transmitting electrical impulses between them. His is pronounced “hiss”

Question 6

atrioventricular node (AV node)

Answer 6

specialized tissue in the wall between the atria. electrical impulses pass from the pacemaker (SA node) through the AV node and the atrioventricular bundle or bundle of His toward the ventricles.

Question 7

atrium

plural: atria

Answer 7

one of the two upper chambers of the heart

Question 8

capillary

Answer 8

smallest blood vessel. materials pass to and from the bloodstream through the thin capillary walls

Question 9

carbon dioxide (CO2)

Answer 9

gas (waste) released by body cells, transported via veins to the heart, and then to the lungs for exhalation

Question 10

coronary arteries

Answer 10

blood vessels that branch from the aorta and carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle

Question 11

deoxygenated blood

Answer 11

blood that is oxygen-poor

Question 12

diastole

Answer 12

relaxation phase of the heartbeat (Greek diastole, dilation)

Question 13

electrocardiogram

Answer 13

record of the electricity flowing through the heart. electricity is represented by waves or deflections called P, QRS, or T

Question 14

endocardium

Answer 14

inner lining of the heart

Question 15

endothelium

Answer 15

innermost lining of blood vessels

Question 16

mitral valve

Answer 16

value between the left atrium and the left ventricle; bicuspid valve

Question 17

murmur

Answer 17

abnormal swishing sound caused by improper closure of the heart valves

Question 18

myocardium

Answer 18

muscular, middle layer of the heart

Question 19

normal sinus rhythm

Answer 19

heart rhythm originating in the sinoatrial node with a rate in patients at rest of 60 to 100 beats per minute

Question 20

oxygen

Answer 20

gas that enters the blood through the lungs and travels to the heart to be pumped via arteries to all body cells

Question 21

pacemaker (sinoatrial node, SA node)

Answer 21

specialized nervous tissue in the right atrium that begins the heartbeat. an artificial cardiac pacemaker is an electronic apparatus implanted in the chest to stimulate heart muscle that is weak and not functioning.

Question 22

pericardium

Answer 22

double-layered membrane surrounding the heart

Question 23

pulmonary artery

Answer 23

artery carrying oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs

Question 24

pulmonary circulation

Answer 24

flow of blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart valve positioned between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery

Question 25

pulmonary valve

Answer 25

valve positioned between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery

Question 26

pulmonary vein

Answer 26

one of two pairs of vessels carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart

Question 27

pulse

Answer 27

beat of the heart as felt through the walls of the arteries

Question 28

septum | plural: septa

Answer 28

partition or wall dividing a cavity; such as between the right and left atria (interatrial septum) and right and left ventricles (interventricular septum)

Question 29

visceral pericardium

Answer 29

internal membrane of the pericardium

Question 30

parietal pericardium

Answer 30

outer membrane of the pericardium

Question 31

sinoatrial node (SA node)

Answer 31

pacemaker of the heart

Question 32

sphygmomanometer

Answer 32

instrument to measure blood pressure

Question 33

systemic circulation

Answer 33

flow of blood from body tissue to the heart and then from the heart back to body tissues

Question 34

systole

Answer 34

contraction phase of the heartbeat. (Greek systole, contraction)

Question 35

tricuspid valve

Answer 35

located between the right atrium and the right ventricle; it has three leaflets, or cusps

Question 36

valve

Answer 36

structure in veins or in the heart that temporarily closes an opening so that blood flows in only one direction

Question 37

vein

Answer 37

thin-walled vessel that carries blood from body tissues and lungs back to the heart. veins contain valves to prevent backflow of blood

Question 38

vena cava | plural: venae cavae

Answer 38

largest vein in the body. the superior and inferior venae cavae return blood to the right atrium of the heart

Question 39

ventricle

Answer 39

one of two lower chambers of the heart

Question 40

venule

Answer 40

small vein