Human Heart Anatomy

Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the heart?

To pump blood

At what stage of development does the heart start pumping blood?

Around 8 weeks of pregnancy

What is the term for blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart?

Arteries

What is the name of the large blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart?

Aorta Signup and view all the answers

How many sources of blood combine into one big vein that dumps into the top of the heart?

3 Signup and view all the answers

What is the path of blood from the legs and belly?

Through the veins from the legs and belly, combining into another opening into the heart Signup and view all the answers

Why is it hard to look at the heart in detail just by examining the outside?

Because it's a pump and you need to visualize the inside to understand its working Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the heart's pumping action?

To make sure blood from all parts of the body can make its way back to the heart and then get pumped back out to the body Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the valve between the left ventricle and the left atrium?

To ensure forward flow of blood Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body?

Aorta Signup and view all the answers

How many chambers of the heart does blood flow through before reaching the rest of the body?

4 Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the valve that divides the left ventricle from the aorta?

Aortic valve Signup and view all the answers

What happens every time you hear your heart beating?

The entire cardiac cycle occurs Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the valves in the heart?

To keep blood moving in the right direction Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the valve that separates the right atrium and right ventricle?

Tricuspid valve Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the lungs in the circulatory system?

To exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart?

Pulmonary vein Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between arteries and veins?

Arteries carry blood away from the heart, while veins carry blood towards the heart Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the chamber of the heart that receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs?

Left atrium Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the aortic arch?

To distribute blood to the arms and head Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the valve that separates the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery?

Pulmonary valve Signup and view all the answers

What is the direction of blood flow in the pulmonary arteries?

Away from the heart Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the vessel that carries oxygen-poor blood from the body to the heart?

Inferior vena cava Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Heart

The heart is a pump that starts functioning from the 8th week of foetal development and continues until death, making it the hardest working organ in the body.

Blood Flow through the Heart

Blood from the body (including the legs, arms, and head) flows back to the heart through veins, which dump into the right atrium.
The right atrium is the first chamber of the heart where blood collects before flowing into the right ventricle.
The right ventricle is the second chamber of the heart where blood is pumped out to the lungs through the pulmonary valve.

Oxygenation of Blood

In the lungs, oxygen is absorbed into the blood, and carbon dioxide is removed, making the blood oxygen-rich (red-colored).

Blood Flow from the Lungs

Oxygen-rich blood from the lungs flows back to the heart through the pulmonary arteries, which dump into the left atrium.
The left atrium is the third chamber of the heart where blood collects before flowing into the left ventricle.
The left ventricle is the fourth and final chamber of the heart where blood is pumped out to the rest of the body through the aortic valve.

Valves in the Heart

There are four valves in the heart that ensure blood flows in one direction:
- Tricuspid valve (between right atrium and right ventricle)
- Pulmonary valve (between right ventricle and pulmonary artery)
- Mitral valve (between left atrium and left ventricle)
- Aortic valve (between left ventricle and aorta)

Summary of Blood Flow

Blood flows from the body to the right atrium, then to the right ventricle, to the lungs, to the left atrium, to the left ventricle, and finally back out to the rest of the body.

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Description

Learn about the human heart, its vessels, and its function as a pump, from fetal development to death. Discover why it's considered the hardest working organ in the body.