The Heart Flashcards
Function of heart
to pump blood around the body. It is made of a special type of muscle called cardiac muscle.
Cardiac muscle
The walls of the heart are composed of cardiac muscle which has its own inherent rhythm and does not get tired. it contracts and relaxes regularly, throughout life.
divisions
The heart is divided into four chambers. The two on the right contain deoxygenated blood and are completely separated from the two on the left which contain oxygenated blood, by the septum.
atria
top two chambers, have thin walls and they collect blood entering the heart.
ventricles
The bottom two chambers, have thick walls and they pump blood out of the heart.
valves
present between each atrium and ventricle and in the pulmonary artery and aorta as they leave the ventricles to ensure that blood flows through the heart in one direction.
pulmonary artery
carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs
aorta
carries oxygenated blood to the body
left atrium
collects oxygenated blood from the lungs
pulmonary veins
carry oxygenated blood from the lungs
semi-lunar valves
prevent the backflow of blood into the ventricles when they relax
bicuspid valve
prevents the blood flowing
back into the atrium when
the ventricle contracts..has two parts
tendons
prevent the valve turning inside out
left ventricle
thicker walled than the right ventricle to pump oxygenated blood longer distances around the body
septum
thick, muscular, separates the left and right ventricles