1 Overview of Anatomy and Blood Flow

Where is the heart located?

In the mediastinum, between the sternum and vertebral column.

What is at the apex of the heart?

The apex is near the diaphragm.

What are the four chambers of the heart?

Right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle.

What is the anterior of the heart?

Right ventricle.

What forms the left border of the heart?

Left ventricle.

What forms the right border of the heart?

Right atrium.

What allows the heart to move slightly?

The heart rests on the diaphragm.

What type of pump is the heart?

A double pump.

Which chambers of the heart make up the right side?

Right atrium and right ventricle.

Which chambers of the heart make up the left side?

Left atrium and left ventricle.

What do the ventricles of the heart do?

They pump blood.

What does the right ventricle do?

Pumps blood out of the pulmonary artery through the pulmonary circulation.

What happens in the pulmonary capillaries?

Gases are exchanged.

What do the pulmonary veins do?

Carry blood back to the left atrium.

What does the left ventricle pump blood through?

The aorta, through the systemic circulation.

What occurs in systemic capillaries?

Oxygen leaves the blood and carbon dioxide enters.

How are blood vessels connected within the heart?

Blood is brought back to the right atrium through venules and veins.

Do the right and left ventricles pump simultaneously?

Yes, they pump at the same time.

Do the right and left ventricles pump the same amount of blood?

Yes, they pump the same amount of blood.

What is the pressure in the pulmonary artery?

Around 15 mmHg.

What is the pressure in the aorta?

Around 100 mmHg.

What is the starting point of pulmonary circulation?

Right ventricle.

What is the end point of pulmonary circulation?

Left atrium.

What is the starting point of systemic circulation?

Left ventricle.

What is the end point of systemic circulation?

Right atrium.

What are the three venous openings in the right atrium?

Inferior vena cava, superior vena cava, and coronary sinus.

What does the coronary sinus do?

Brings deoxygenated blood from the heart itself.

Why must the pressure in the right atrium be low?

For venous blood to flow into it.

What are the atrioventricular valves?

Valves that ensure one-way flow of blood.

Where is the tricuspid valve located?

Between the right atrium and right ventricle.

Where is the bicuspid valve located?

Between the left atrium and left ventricle.

What is another name for the bicuspid valve?

Mitral valve.

What are valves made of?

Dense connective tissue.

What are chordae tendineae?

Fibrous cords that attach valves to papillary muscle.

What happens when the right ventricle contracts?

Blood is pushed against the tricuspid valve, closing it.

What prevents blood from flowing backward into the atria?

Tricuspid valve.

What allows blood to flow out into the pulmonary artery?

Pulmonary semilunar valve.

What shape do semilunar valves resemble?

Pockets.

How many pulmonary veins bring blood to the left atrium?

Four.

What type of blood do the pulmonary veins bring?

Oxygenated blood.

What happens when the left ventricle contracts?

The bicuspid valve closes.

What do the right and left ventricles do in terms of blood flow?

They pump blood into the pulmonary and systemic circuits respectively.

What nourishes the myocardium?

Coronary arteries.

What returns deoxygenated blood to the right atrium?

Coronary sinus.

What is the difference between the ventricular walls of the right and left ventricles?

The right ventricle has a thinner wall, whereas the left ventricle has a thick wall.

What does the heart model help students understand?

Anatomy and blood flow through the heart.