- The vena cava pumps deoxygenated blood (blood that has been around the body) into the right atrium.
- The right atrium receives the deoxygenated blood and it moved into the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. NOTE: the valves are there so the blood cannot flow backers, it has to flow forwards.
- The right ventricle pumps the deoxygenated blood into the lungs (so it can be oxygenated again) through the pulmonary artery. This is helped with a series of contractions (the heart pumping).
- The pulmonary vein pumps oxygenated blood (from the lungs) into the left atrium.
- The left atrium receives the deoxygenated blood and it moved into the left ventricle through the bicuspid valve.
- The left ventricle pumps the oxygenated blood through the aorta around the body, helped with a series of contractions (the heart pumping).
NOTE: the left ventricle has a thicker muscle wall than the right ventricle as it has to pump blood around the body, whereas the right ventricle only has to pump blood to the lungs (which is not very far away). This means the oxygenated blood (in the left ventricle) is under higher pressure than the deoxygenated blood (in the right ventricle)
Picture credit: bbc
It's a very helpful article, in fact when it comes to health; there is nothing more important than managing to eat healthy food and doing exercise regularly.
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