Parts of the heart and blood flow

Right atrium

receives deoxygenated blood from the body and moves it to the right ventricle

Right ventricle

pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs

Left atrium

receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and moves it to the left ventricle

Left ventricle

pumps oxygenated blood to the body

Septum

muscular wall separating the right and left sides of the heart; thicker between ventricles because they contract more forcefully

Vena cava

carries deoxygenated blood from the body into the right atrium

Aorta

largest artery; carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the body

Pulmonary arteries

carry deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs

Pulmonary veins

carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium

Coronary vessels

supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle itself

Order of blood flow (start to finish)

vena cava → right atrium → right ventricle → pulmonary arteries → lungs → left atrium → left ventricle → aorta

Semilunar valve from left ventricle to aorta

aortic valve

Semilunar valve from right ventricle to pulmonary trunk

pulmonary valve

Function of semilunar valves

allow blood to flow from ventricles to aorta/pulmonary arteries

Chordae tendinae function

prevent atrioventricular valves from inverting

String-like tendons attached to AV valves

chordae tendinae

Left atrioventricular valve

bicuspid or mitral valve

Function of atrioventricular valves

allow blood to flow from atria to ventricles

Right atrioventricular valve

tricuspid valve

Type of blood coronary veins carry

deoxygenated blood to right atrium

Coronary arteries function

carry oxygenated blood to heart cells

Pulmonary veins carry

oxygenated blood to left atrium

Vessels carrying deoxygenated blood from right ventricle to lungs

pulmonary arteries

Aorta function

carries oxygenated blood from left ventricle to body

Reason septum is thicker between ventricles

ventricles contract with more force than atria