How Pumps Work: An Introduction to the Heart Prepared by Michael Asheim

What does a Pump Do? A pump moves a fluid –A fluid is either a gas (like air or steam) or a liquid (water, oil, coolant, etc.)

What are some common pump? We see pumps, or the work of pumps, everywhere –Bicycle pumps pump air –Water pumps give the pressure needed to get water out of our facets –Even fans are air pumps that move the air

So how does a Bike Pump Work? A piston-cylinder compresses the air and drives it down into the tire To insure that the fluid does not come back out of the tire, there is a one way valve that stops the fluid from returning into the cylinder

How does your heart work? Your heart has 4 chambers –Left and Right Ventricles –Left and Right Atrium It also has valve that allow the blood to only flow in one direction

How does the blood move then? The valves take turns constricting (pushing blood out) and relaxing (allowing blood to fill the 4 chambers of the heart