-
The heart is a muscle that is controlled by an electrical impulse, which makes it work. The "lub dub" sound you hear is the blood pumping through the parts of the heart at different times.
The heart is a muscle
The heart is a muscle that is located close to the center of your chest. It's approximately the size of your fist.
The parts of a heart
The heart has four parts--two atria and two ventricles. Each part is called a chamber. The heart pumps blood through the chambers and to the rest of the body. The top two chambers are the atria and the bottom two chambers are called the ventricles. The atria returns blood to the heart, while the ventricles pump blood to the rest of the body.
How the heart beats
The heart fills with blood before each beat. The heart muscle contracts to push blood through each part of the heart.
Circulation
The blood moves through the body in an organized way, called circulation. The body requires a continual amount of blood to keep it healthy. The blood brings oxygen to all parts of the body.
The heart's electrical system
The heart works independently of everything else in your body. This is due to a special electrical system run from the sinoatrial node (SA Node). The SA Node contains special fibers that send the electrical impulses to the rest of the heart.
Source:
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC