Circulatory System: Function and the Path of Blood Flow Grade: 11-12

Function Pumps blood throughout the body What blood carries Blood carries nutrients, oxygen, hormones, and other gases to the cells of the body.

Anatomy of the Heart Atriums Ventricles Valves Major Veins Major Arteries There are four chambers of the heart: the right atrium, the left atrium, the right ventricle, and the left ventricle. There are also four valves in the heart. Valves prevent blood from flowing backwards in the heart. The four valves are the bicuspid valve, the pulmonary valve, the tricuspid valve, and the aortic valve. The major veins associated with the heart are the superior vena cava, the inferior vena cava, and the pulmonary veins. The major arteries associated with the heart include the aorta and the pulmonary arteries.

Veins Returns blood to the heart Oxygen poor blood Thin walls Blood returns to the heart through veins in order to pick up oxygen. All veins carry oxygen poor blood. The only exception is the pulmonary veins which carry oxygen rich blood from the lungs to the heart. The walls of veins are thin because the blood pressure is lower. Gravity, inertia, and skeletal muscle contractions push the blood in veins.

Arteries Carries blood away from the heart Oxygen rich blood Arteries carry blood away from the heart. Arteries are full of oxygen rich blood. The only exception is the pulmonary artery which carries oxygen poor blood from the heart to the lungs. Their walls are thick due to the high blood pressure from the heart pumping blood throughout the body.

Path of Blood Flow Pulmonary circulation Systemic Circulation There are two types of circulation: Pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation. Pulmonary circulation refers to the path blood takes in the heart when it picks up oxygen in the lungs. Systemic circulation refers to when oxygen rich blood is sent to body tissue and then returns to the heart. Starting with the heart, blood flows through the right atrium to the right ventricle, to the pulmonary artery, and then to the lungs. From the lungs, blood flows through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium, then to the left ventricle, and out the aorta. After the aorta, blood travels through many other arteries to body tissue. Oxygen poor blood leaves the body tissue and then travels through veins to the superior or inferior vena cava. The superior and inferior vena cava connect to the right atrium.

Works Cited Picture from slide 2: http://argyllfreepress.com/2014/07/26/praxada-popular-blood-thinner-from-boehringer-ingelheim-not-safe/ Picture from slide 3: http://www.texasheart.org/HIC/Anatomy/anatomy2.cfm Picture from slide 4 and 5: https://schealthcoffey.wikispaces.com/Systems+of+the+Body Picture from slide 6: http://labspace.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=451935&extra=thumbnail_id391744457025 Content from: http://www.innerbody.com/image/cardov.html