In this module, you will learn:
- To identify the different parts of the heart
- The function of the heart
Resources to help you:
- Textbook: page 40
- Notebook: page 9
Watch the video
Learn about the heart and how it functions.
Source: https://youtu.be/CWFyxn0qDEU
You can change the speed to 0.75x to make it easier to listen.
The human heart
Credit: via Stockunlimited
The Heart
In this section, you will first learn about the structure of the heart and be able to differentiate the left side and the right side of the heart. You will learn the four different chambers, and finally the blood vessels that connect to the heart.
Right or left?
If you look at the diagram of a heart, you will notice that they are not symmetrical. One of the sides is thicker than the other. This thicker part is the left side of the heart.
The function of the heart is to pump blood around the body. The heart is a muscle, and the left side has more muscle because it needs to be stronger to pump blood to all the rest of the body. That is why the left ventricle of the heart is thicker.
The thicker wall is the left side of the heart
The four chambers of the heart
The Chambers
The heart has four chambers. The chambers at the top are known as atrium while the chambers at the bottom are known as ventricles.
The label marked A, are the atrium and the label marked V, are the ventricles.
The blood vessels
These are the blood vessels connected to the heart. On the right side, we have the vena cava and pulmonary artery. On the left, we have the aorta and pulmonary vein.
It is important to remember where each of the blood vessels are.
The four major blood vessels of the heart
Valves in the heart
Valves
The valves are an important part of the heart. They help to make sure that the blood flows in one direction only by not allowing blood to go back.