preview

The Human Heart Is A Muscular Organ That Provides A Continuous Blood Circulation

Better Essays

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS HEART?
The human heart is a muscular organ that provides a continuous blood circulation through the cycle and is one of the most vital organs in the human body. The heart is divided into four main chambers: the two upper chambers are called the left and right atria and two lower chambers are called the right and left ventricles. There is a thick wall of muscle separating the right side and the left side of the heart called the septum. Fig 1: HUMAN HEART[10]

HOW DOES BLOOD FLOW THROUGH HEART?
Blood flows through the heart in one direction, from the atria to the ventricles, and out of the great arteries, or the aorta for example. Blood is prevented from flowing backwards by the tricuspid, bicuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valve.
The heart acts as a double pump. The function of the right side of the heart is to collect de-oxygenated blood, in the right atrium, from the body (via superior and inferior vena cava) and pump it, via the right ventricle, into the lungs (pulmonary circulation) so that carbon dioxide can be dropped off and oxygen picked up (gas exchange). This happens through the passive process of diffusion.
The left side collects oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium. From the left atrium the blood moves to the left ventricle which pumps it out to the body (via the aorta).

WHAT IS ITS ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY? The electric energy that stimulates the heart occurs in the sinoatrial node, which produces a definite

Get Access