How Blood Flows Through the Heart

Superior Vena Cava

Receives deoxygenated blood from the top half of the body and takes it to the heart

Inferior Vena Cava

Receives deoxygenated blood from the bottom half of the body and takes it to the heart

Right Atrium

Deoxygenated blood comes here after enter the heart through both vena cavas

Tricuspid valve

Controls the direction of blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle

Right Ventricle

Receives the blood from the right atrium and moves it through the pulmonary valve

Aveolar Capillaries

where gas exchange happens in the lungs

Mitral/Bicuspid valve

valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle.

Left ventricle

pumps oxygenated blood to the body through the aorta

Aorta

Largest artery in the body-distributes oxygenated blood to the body

Arteries

carry blood away from the heart

capillaries

Microscopic vessels through which exchanges take place between the blood and cells of the body

Veins

carry blood back to the heart

septum

Divides the right and left chambers of the heart

apex

distal end of the heart

Atria (plural for atrium)

thin upper chambers that receive blood returning to the heart via veins.

Ventricles

thick, muscular lower chambers

Receive blood from the atria above them

Force (pump) blood out of the heart through the arteries.

Systemic Circulation

delivers blood to all body cells and carries away CO2

Pulmonary Circulation

gets rid of CO2 and oxygenates blood (through lungs)

Pulmonary

means "lungs"

systemic

means "body"

pulmonary arteries

carry deoxygenated blood out of the right ventricle and into the lungs

aorta

Largest artery in the body

descending aorta

the descending part of the aorta that branches into the thoracic and abdominal aortae

diffusion

Movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

gas exchange in the lungs

pulmonary valve

valve positioned between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery

aortic valve

heart valve between the left ventricle and the aorta

septum

Divides the right and left chambers of the heart

apex of the heart

lower tip of the heart

diffusion in the lungs

From the alveoli capillaries in your lungs, CO2 leaves your bloodstream (exhale) and O2 enters your bloodstream (inhale)

Aveoli Capillaries

tiny hair-like capillaries in your lungs where gas exchange occurs

arteries

carry blood away from the heart

veins

Blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart