SB8d The Heart Flashcards
aorta
the major artery leading away from the heart
atrium
an upper chamber in the heart that received blood from the veins
cardiac output
the volume of blood the heart can pump out in one minute - it is calculated using the equation:
cardiac output = stroke volume * heart rate
chamber
enclosed space - a human heart has 4 chambers
contract
to become smaller - when muscles contract, they shorten and become fatter
deoxygenated blood
blood in which the red blood cells are only carrying small amounts of oxygen (it is a dark red colour)
heart attack
when the heart stops pumping properly due to a lack of oxygen reaching part of it
heart rate
the number of heart beats in a unit of time, usually per minute
heart valve
a structure made of flaps of tissue between an atrium and a ventricle of the heart - the heart valve stops blood flowing in the wrong direction when the heart muscle contracts
impulse
an electrical signal transmitted along a neurone
oxygenated blood
blood in which the red blood cells are carrying large amounts of oxygen (it is a bright red colour)
pulmonary artery
an artery that carries deoxygenated blood from the right atrium to the lungs
pulmonary vein
a vein that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium
septum
a wall of tissue - the septum in the heart completely separates the chambers on the right from those on the left
stroke volume
the volume of blood the heart can pump out with each beat
