Structure Of The Heart

Question 1

What is the heart?

Answer 1

• The heart is a muscular organ that lies in the thoracic cavity behind the sternum.
• Operates continuously throughout the life an organism

Question 2

What is the heart split up into?

Answer 2

Two pumps lying side by side

Question 3

What does the pump on the left side of the heart deal with?

Answer 3

Oxygenated blood from the lungs

Question 4

What does the pump on the right of the heart deal with?

Answer 4

Deoxygenated blood from the lungs

Question 5

What are the two chambers of the pumps?

Answer 5

• Atrium

* Ventricle

Question 6

What is the atrium?

Answer 6

Thin walled and elastic and stretches as it collects blood

Question 7

Why does the ventricle have thick walls?

Answer 7

• Has a much thicker muscular wall as it has to contract strongly to pump blood some distance, either to the lungs or to the rest of the body

Question 8

Why does the heart have two pumps?

Answer 8

• Blood has to pass through capillaries in order to present a large surface area for exchange of gasses
• This results in a very large drop in pressure, and the blood flow to the rest of the body without the second pump would be very slow
• The blood is returned to the heart to increase its pressure before it is distributed to the rest of the body

Question 9

What is the purpose of the right ventricle?

Answer 9

• Pumps blood only to the lungs

* Has a thinner muscular wall than the left ventricle

Question 10

What is the purpose of the left ventricle?

Answer 10

• Has a thick muscular wall

* This allows it to contract to create enough pressure to pump blood to the reset of the body

Question 11

When do the pumps pump/

Answer 11

• Both pumps pump in time with each other
• Both atria contract with together
• Then both ventricles contract together pumping the same volume of blood

Question 12

What is the purpose of valves?

Answer 12

Prevent backflow of blood into the atria when the ventricles contract

Question 13

What are the two valves?

Answer 13

• Left atrioventricular valve ( bicuspid )

* Right atrioventricular valve ( tricuspid )

Question 14

What are each of the chambers of the heart connected to?

Answer 14

Each of the four chambers of the heart are connected to large blood vessels that carry blood towards or away from the heart.
• The ventricles pump blood away from the heart and into the arteries
• Atria receives blood from the veins

Question 15

What are pulmonary vessels?

Answer 15

Vessels connecting to the heart to the lungs are called pulmonary vessels

Question 16

What are the four vessels connected to the four chambers?

Answer 16

• Aorta
• Vena Cava
• Pulmonary Artery
• Pulmonary Vein

Question 17

Where is the aorta connected?

Answer 17

Connected to the left ventricle and carries oxygenated blood to all parts of the body except the lungs

Question 18

Where is the vena cava connected?

Answer 18

Connected to the right atrium and brings de-oxygenated blood back from the tissues of the body ( except the lungs )

Question 19

Where is the pulmonary artery connected?

Answer 19

• Connected to the right ventricle.

* Carriers deoxygenated blood to the lungs, where its oxygen is replenished and carbon dioxide is removed

Question 20

Why is a pulmonary artery unusual?

Answer 20

Carries deoxygenated blood

Question 21

Where is the pulmonary vein connected?

Answer 21

• Connected to the left atrium and brings oxygenated blood back from the lungs
• Carries oxygenated blood

Question 22

What is the purpose of the right side pump?

Answer 22

• Pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs

Question 23

What is the purpose of the left side pump?

Answer 23

• Left side pumps oxygenated blood to the whole body