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Grades 9 and 10 Intermediate About 15 min Version 1 Awaiting review Premium

The journey of blood through the heart

The heart is a muscular pump with four chambers: two atria on top that receive blood, and two ventricles below that pump it out. Blood that has given its oxygen to the body returns through the vena cava to the right atrium, passes to the right ventricle and is pumped through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen. Oxygen-rich blood returns through the pulmonary vein to the left atrium, passes to the left ventricle and is pumped out through the aorta to the whole body. Blood passes through the heart twice on each full trip: a double circulation. Valves stop it flowing backwards.

What you will learn

  • Trace the path of blood through the heart, lungs and body.
  • Name the chambers of the heart and the main blood vessels.
  • Say where blood is rich or poor in oxygen.

Before you start

  • Know that blood carries oxygen from the lungs to the body.

Materials

  • A model or diagram of the heart

Equipment

  • Stethoscope (optional, to listen to the heartbeat)

Procedure

  1. Choose a card and find out whether the blood there is rich or poor in oxygen.
  2. Place each part in order, starting where blood returns from the body.