The heart and lungs make up two main systems within the body, the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system.
The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, the blood vessels; arteries, veins and capillaries and the blood. While the respiratory system consists of the: Nasal cavity, diaphragm, lungs, trachea, epiglottis, pharynx, larynx, bronchioles, bronchi, alveoli and oesophagus.
Both of these systems work together forming the cardio-respiratory system which is responsible for the uptake of oxygen from the air we breathe, for the transport of oxygen around the body, and for the removal of waste products from muscles and other organs.
In the heart the SA node found in the cardiac muscle of the right atrium receives electrical impulses from the brain these are passed through the cardiac muscle of both left and right atria, only being stopped by the AV node. In the right atria deoxygenated blood from the vena cava, is put under pressure due to the contraction of muscle and is forced into right ventricle. Once the pressure builds up in the right ventricle, the AV node releases the electrical impulses, which flow through the purkinje fibres in the septum of the heart, and pass into the ventricle muscle causing both the left and right ventricles to contract and force the blood up through the semi-lunar valves. The blood in the right ventricle goes through the pulmonary artery to the lungs.
Air is brought into the lungs by diffusion when the pressure of air in the lungs is less than the atmospheric pressure; inspiration takes place as air moves from a area of high pressure outside the lungs to an area of low pressure inside the lungs. When the blood in the pulmonary arteries reaches the lungs, it is transports through the pulmonary capillaries which wrap around the alveoli in the lungs. Oxygen diffuses through the membrane separating the air and the blood, from the high pressure in the alveoli of 100 mmHg to the area of lower pressure of the blood in the pulmonary capillaries 40 mmHg. After oxygenated blood moves into the pulmonary veins, it is transported to the left side of the heart to be pumped to the systemic tissues.
The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, the blood vessels; arteries, veins and capillaries and the blood. While the respiratory system consists of the: Nasal cavity, diaphragm, lungs, trachea, epiglottis, pharynx, larynx, bronchioles, bronchi, alveoli and oesophagus.
Both of these systems work together forming the cardio-respiratory system which is responsible for the uptake of oxygen from the air we breathe, for the transport of oxygen around the body, and for the removal of waste products from muscles and other organs.
In the heart the SA node found in the cardiac muscle of the right atrium receives electrical impulses from the brain these are passed through the cardiac muscle of both left and right atria, only being stopped by the AV node. In the right atria deoxygenated blood from the vena cava, is put under pressure due to the contraction of muscle and is forced into right ventricle. Once the pressure builds up in the right ventricle, the AV node releases the electrical impulses, which flow through the purkinje fibres in the septum of the heart, and pass into the ventricle muscle causing both the left and right ventricles to contract and force the blood up through the semi-lunar valves. The blood in the right ventricle goes through the pulmonary artery to the lungs.
Air is brought into the lungs by diffusion when the pressure of air in the lungs is less than the atmospheric pressure; inspiration takes place as air moves from a area of high pressure outside the lungs to an area of low pressure inside the lungs. When the blood in the pulmonary arteries reaches the lungs, it is transports through the pulmonary capillaries which wrap around the alveoli in the lungs. Oxygen diffuses through the membrane separating the air and the blood, from the high pressure in the alveoli of 100 mmHg to the area of lower pressure of the blood in the pulmonary capillaries 40 mmHg. After oxygenated blood moves into the pulmonary veins, it is transported to the left side of the heart to be pumped to the systemic tissues.