Chapter 34, Problem 12A

Summary Introduction

To explain:

An advantage of our heart containing two pumping systems rather than one pumping system within the same organ.

Introduction:

The heart is a muscular organ approximately the size of a fist, present just behind and slightly left of the breastbone. The heart pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins called the cardiovascular system. The heart has four chambers, they are- right atrium (it gets blood from the veins and pumps it to the right ventricle), right ventricle (it gets blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs, where it is loaded with oxygen), left atrium (it gets oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the left ventricle), left ventricle (the strongest chamber, it pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body). The left ventricle’s strong contractions create our blood pressure.

Explanation of Solution

The heart works with a double ventricle system. Blood moves from the body into the right atrium, and then into the right ventricle after which it receives pumped into the lungs. Blood becomes oxygenated in the lungs, transfers into the left atrium, and into the left ventricle where it pumped into the body again. This facilitates to split the low oxygenated blood from the oxygenated blood.