The heart is built in a special way to do its important job in the body's circulatory system. Here are some key parts of the heart's structure:
Chambers: The heart has four chambers: two atria (upper chambers) and two ventricles (lower chambers). The right atrium takes in blood that doesn’t have enough oxygen from the body. The left atrium takes in blood that is full of oxygen from the lungs. This setup helps keep the blood flow efficient and prevents mixing blood that is rich in oxygen with blood that is poor in oxygen.
Valves: There are four main valves in the heart: the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves. They make sure that blood flows in the right direction only. This is really important so the heart works well. At rest, the heart usually pumps about 5 liters of blood every minute. This amount goes up when you exercise.
Muscle: The heart's muscle layer, called the myocardium, is thicker in the ventricles than in the atria. The left ventricle is especially thick because it pumps blood all around the body. Its wall is about 1.5 centimeters thick. This helps the heart create enough pressure, which is about 120 mmHg when it beats.
Electrical System: The heart has its own electrical system (like a built-in timer) that includes the sinoatrial node and atrioventricular node. This system helps the heart beat in a steady rhythm, usually between 60 to 100 beats per minute when resting. This keeps the heart pumping effectively.
All these features work together to make the heart a strong and efficient pump. It helps meet the body's needs for blood and nutrients.
The heart is built in a special way to do its important job in the body's circulatory system. Here are some key parts of the heart's structure:
Chambers: The heart has four chambers: two atria (upper chambers) and two ventricles (lower chambers). The right atrium takes in blood that doesn’t have enough oxygen from the body. The left atrium takes in blood that is full of oxygen from the lungs. This setup helps keep the blood flow efficient and prevents mixing blood that is rich in oxygen with blood that is poor in oxygen.
Valves: There are four main valves in the heart: the tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic valves. They make sure that blood flows in the right direction only. This is really important so the heart works well. At rest, the heart usually pumps about 5 liters of blood every minute. This amount goes up when you exercise.
Muscle: The heart's muscle layer, called the myocardium, is thicker in the ventricles than in the atria. The left ventricle is especially thick because it pumps blood all around the body. Its wall is about 1.5 centimeters thick. This helps the heart create enough pressure, which is about 120 mmHg when it beats.
Electrical System: The heart has its own electrical system (like a built-in timer) that includes the sinoatrial node and atrioventricular node. This system helps the heart beat in a steady rhythm, usually between 60 to 100 beats per minute when resting. This keeps the heart pumping effectively.
All these features work together to make the heart a strong and efficient pump. It helps meet the body's needs for blood and nutrients.