Subject: Science
Topic: Circulatory System
Grade: X
IC/X/1920 Circulatory System 1 of 13
• Humans and other vertebrates have a closed
circulatory system:
– The circulating blood is pumped through a system
of vessels
– The human circulatory system consists of the heart
(pump), series of blood vessels and the blood that
flows through them.
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The Heart
Location
• Hollow muscular structure
• Located at the center of the chest cavity between the two lungs
and above the diaphragm.
• The narrow end of the heart is pointed to the left side and during
working, the contraction of the heart is most powerful at this end
giving a feeling that the heart is on the left side.
IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
The Heart
Covering
• About the size of the closed fist in
an adult human.
• Approximately 12 cm in length and
9 cm in width.
• Enclosed in a double walled
membranous covering called the
pericardium.
• The pericardium contains the
lubricating pericardial fluid.
• The pericardial fluid reduces the
friction during the heart beat and
protects it from mechanical injury.
IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
Chambers of the heart
• The right and left sides of the heart are separated by a septum.
The septum prevents the mixing of oxygen rich and oxygen
poor blood.
• The heart has a total of 4 chambers – 2 atria and 2 ventricles
• On each side of the septum are two chambers.
• The upper chambers called atria or auricles receive blood and
have thinner walls.
• The lower chambers called ventricles
pump blood out of the heart and have
thick muscular walls.
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IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
Blood Vessels entering the heart
• The Right atrium receives two large blood vessels :
1. Anterior Vena Cava (Superior vena cava or precaval)
Brings deoxygenated blood from the anterior or upper regions
of the body including head, chest and arms.
2. Posterior Vena Cava (Inferior Vena cava)
Brings blood from the posterior or lower region of the body
including abdomen and legs.
• The Left atrium receives:
Pulmonary veins
Four pulmonary veins two from each lung.
The pulmonary veins bring oxygenated blood.
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IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
Valves
• As the heart contracts, blood flows into the ventricles
• Flaps of connective tissue, called valves, are located between the
atria and ventricles.
• When the ventricles contract, the valves close which prevents blood
from flowing back into the atria.
• The system of valves keeps the blood flowing in one direction and
increases the pumping efficiency of the heart.
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IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
Valves
• There are four valves in the heart:
1. Right atrio-ventricular valve (Tricuspid valve)
Located at the aperture between the right auricle and the right ventricle.
Has three triangular leaf-like flaps or cusps.
Held in position by the chordae tendinae arising from the papillary muscles.
2. Left atrio-ventricular valve (Bicuspid valve/Mitral valve)
Located between the left auricle and the left ventricle.
Has two cusps or flaps.
3. Pulmonary semilunar valves
Located at the opening of the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery.
Pocket shaped and three in number.
4. Aortic semilunar valves
Located at the point of origin of the aorta from the left ventricle.
Three in number and pocket shaped.
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IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
Pathway of Blood
• Deoxygenated blood
passes from the right
atrium into the right
ventricle and then goes
to the lungs.
• From the lungs, blood
moves back toward the
heart into the left atrium
to the left ventricle and
then passes into the aorta
to go to the rest of the
body
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IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
Heart Beat
• Heart muscles are composed of individual fibers
• Each atrium and ventricle contracts as a unit.
• The heart contracts about 72 times per minute
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IC/X/1920 Circulatory System of 13
