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A: Aorta - transports oxygenated blood to all parts of the body from the left ventricle
of the heart.
B: Pulmonary artery - transports deoxygenated blood to the lungs from the right
ventricle of the heart.
C: Pulmonary vein - transports oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of
the heart.
D: Vena cava - brings in deoxygenated blood from all parts of the body to the right
atrium of the heart.
3. There are four chambers: left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle and right ventricle.
Explain why the left ventricle has the thickest muscle wall.
(Tip: Where does it pump its blood to? Does it undergo high pressure?)
It must be able to withstand very high pressure because it pumps blood to all parts of
the body.
4. There are four main valves: bicuspid valve, tricuspid valve and two semi-lunar valves.
State their function.
(Tip: All valves ensure a one-way flow of blood)
o Bicuspid valve - prevents the backflow of blood between the left ventricle and
the left atrium.
o Tricuspid valve - prevents the backflow of blood between the right ventricle
and the right atrium.
o Semi-lunar valves - while one of them prevents the backflow of blood between
the left ventricle and aorta, the other prevents it between the right ventricle
and the pulmonary artery.
5. There are four structures involved in the beating of the heart: sinoatrial node (SAN),
atrio-ventricular node (AVN), bundle of His and Purkinje fibres. State the functions of
the SAN and AVN.
(Tip: The two nodes act like batteries and generate electrical impulses that cause the
cardiac muscles to contract)
The two nodes act like batteries to produces electrical impulses that cause the
cardiac muscles to contract.