Human Heart Anatomy Quiz

Heart Structure

• A shallow interatrial groove separates the left and right atria.
• A deeper coronary sulcus separates the atria from the ventricles.
• The anterior interventricular sulcus separates the left and right ventricles on the anterior side.
• The posterior interventricular sulcus separates the left and right ventricles on the posterior side.

Blood Flow and Separation

• Blood flows from each atrium to the ventricle on the same side of the heart.
• The interatrial septum separates the atria.
• The interventricular septum separates the ventricles.

Valves and Septa

• The valves are folds of endocardium that extend into the openings between the atria and ventricles.
• The right atrioventricular valve (tricuspid valve) has three cusps that attach to the cardiac skeleton through chordae tendineae.
• The left atrioventricular valve (mitral valve) has two cusps.

Cardiac Circulation

• The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the superior and inferior vena cava.
• Blood passes from the right atrium into the right ventricle.
• The right ventricle tapers to the conus arteriosus, ending at the pulmonary valve.
• Blood leaves the right ventricle via the pulmonary trunk and then to the left and right pulmonary arteries.

Cardiovascular System

• The cardiovascular system relies on the heart to stabilize the levels of gases, nutrients, and waste.
• The autonomic nervous system (ANS) monitors the interstitial fluid and adjusts heart rate.
• The heart pumps between 5-30 liters of blood per minute.

Heart Overview

• The heart is a small organ, roughly the size of a fist.
• It consists of four chambers: two atria and two ventricles.
• The heart pumps blood through a network of blood vessels, divided into two circuits: pulmonary and systemic.

Pericardium

• The pericardium surrounds the heart and consists of two parts: an outer fibrous pericardium and an inner serous pericardium.
• The serous pericardium is composed of an outer parietal layer and an inner visceral layer (epicardium).

Heart Wall

• A section through the heart wall reveals three distinct layers: the visceral layer or epicardium, the myocardium, and the endocardium.

Cardiac Cycle

• The heart functions in a cycle of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole).
• The heart beats under myostatic, autorhythmic control.
• The heart contains specialized conducting cells, including nodal cells that establish the rate of contraction.

Test your knowledge on the anatomy of the human heart, including the path of oxygenated blood flow, the structures involved, and their functions. Identify key features like the left atrioventricular valve and the differences between the left and right ventricles.