Heart & blood flow

• superior vena cava


  blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood back to the heart from the body tissues of the arms and head

  
• inferior vena cava


  blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood back to the heart from the body tissues of the trunk and legs

  
• right atrium


  filling chamber that contains deoxygenated blood

  
• right atrioventricular valve


  valve that prevents the backflow of blood from the right ventricle to the right atrium

  
• right ventricle


  emptying chamber that contains deoxygenated blood; pumps blood to the pulmonary circulation

  
• pulmonary semilunar valve


  valve that prevents the backflow of blood from the pulmonary arteries to the right ventricle

  
• pulmonary arteries


  blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs

  
• pulmonary circulation


  a type of special circulation that carries blood between the heart and the lungs
• pulmonary veins


  blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood towards the heart from the lungs

  
• left atrium


  filling chamber that contains oxygenated blood

  
• left atrioventricular valve


  valve that prevents the backflow of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium

  
• left ventricle


  emptying chamber that contains oxygenated blood; pumps blood to the systemic circulation

  
• aortic semilunar valve


  valve that prevents the backflow of blood from the aorta to the left ventricle

  
• aorta


  blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body tissues of systemic circulation

  
• arteries


  blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart
• arterioles


  blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart from arteries to capillaries
• systemic capillaries


  blood vessels that are narrow and thin and allow for gas exchange with body tissues
• pulmonary capillaries


  blood vessels that are narrow and thin and allow for gas exchange with air sacs in the lungs
• venules


  blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart from capillaries to veins
• veins


  blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart from venules to the vena cava