3. Structure of heart

• What are the components of the heart and their functions?

  1. Four chambers: right/left atria, right/left ventricles
  2. Four main blood vessels: pulmonary vein, aorta, vena cava, pulmonary artery
  3. Valves: atrioventricular and semilunar valves
  4. Septum: prevents mixing of blood types
  5. Coronary arteries: supply blood to cardiac muscle
• Atria


  The upper chambers of the heart that receive blood from the veins
• Ventricles


  The lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out to the arteries
• Septum


  The thin wall of tissue that separates the right and left sides of the heart
• Deoxygenated blood


  Blood that has released its oxygen to the body's tissues
• Oxygenated blood


  Blood that has picked up oxygen from the lungs
• Cardiac output


  The volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute
• Stroke volume


  The volume of blood pumped by the heart per beat
• Heart rate


  The number of heartbeats per minute
• Viscosity


  The thickness and flowability of the blood
• Aorta


  The largest artery that arises from the left ventricle
• 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
• Capillaries


  The tiny blood vessels where exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs
• Veins


  The blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart
• Arterioles


  The small arteries that branch off from the arteries
• Arterial endothelium


  The inner layer of the arterial walls
• Vasodilation


  The widening of blood vessels
• Vasoconstriction


  The narrowing of blood vessels