Biology Exam - Anatomy

Amino acids

The building blocks of proteins.

Aorta

The largest artery in the body, carrying oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body.

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

Atria

The two upper chambers of the heart that receive blood.

Atrioventricular node (AV node)

A part of the heart's electrical conduction system that delays the electrical signal from the atria to the ventricles.

Atrioventricular valves

Valves located between the atria and ventricles that prevent backflow of blood.

Capillaries

Tiny blood vessels that connect arteries and veins, where exchange of nutrients and gases occurs.

Diastole

The phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle relaxes and the chambers fill with blood.

Digestive organs & accessory organs

Organs involved in digestion, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Fatty acids

The building blocks of lipids (fats).

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that are the building blocks of carbohydrates.

Myocardium

The muscular tissue of the heart.

Myogenic muscle

Muscle tissue that generates its own contractions (e.g., the heart muscle).

Oxygenated blood

Blood that is rich in oxygen.

Deoxygenated blood

Blood that has had much of its oxygen removed.

Pulmonary artery

The artery that carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

Pulmonary vein

The vein that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.

Purkinje fibres

Specialized muscle fibers that conduct electrical impulses through the ventricles, causing them to contract.

Respiratory organs

Organs involved in gas exchange, including the lungs, trachea, and bronchi.

Semilunar valves

Valves located at the exits of the ventricles (aortic and pulmonary valves) that prevent backflow of blood.

Septum

A wall that divides the heart into left and right sides.

Sinoatrial node (SA node)

The heart's natural pacemaker, which generates electrical impulses that initiate heartbeats.

Systole

The phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood out of the chambers.

Veins

Blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart.

Vena cava

The large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium.

Ventricles

The two lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out to the lungs or the rest of the body.