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The Cardiovascular System : The Heart And The Heart

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Introduction
The cardiovascular system, also known as the circulatory system is made up of the heart, the blood vessels and the blood. It is a double circulatory system because it is made up of two different circuits; the pulmonary circuit which is between the heart and lungs and the systemic circuit which is between the heart and the other organs around transferring the nutrients and waste in and out of the body. This means the blood passes through the heart twice during the cardiac cycle.

These images have been selected and used form the BBC bitesize website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zhnk7ty/revision/2 To display a diagram of the two different circuits within the cardiovascular system.

Structure and Function of The Heart
The heart is a large muscular organ and its main job is to circulate blood all around the body. The heart consists of three outer layers: the pericardium is the tough outer protective layer, the myocardium which is the middle muscular layer and then finally the endocardium which is a smooth membrane lining. The heart has four chambers within it. The left/right atria and the left/right ventricles. Between these chambers there are valves which control the blood flow between the chambers. The blood flows through the heart from right to left- The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from both the superior (top half of body) and the inferior

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