8.3 The Heart

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022 Revision Notes savemyexams.co.
uk
YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
CONTENTS
8.3.1 Structure of the Heart
8.3.2 The Walls of the Heart
8.3.3 The Cardiac Cycle
8.3.4 Heart Action
8.3.1 STRUCTURE OF THE HEART

Mammalian Heart Structure
Heart structure
The human heart has a mass of around 300g and is roughly the size of a closed fist
The heart is a hollow, muscular organ located in the chest cavity
It is protected in the chest cavity by the pericardium, a tough and fibrous sac
CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

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CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022 Revision Notes savemyexams.co.uk
YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
The human heart has four chambers and is separated into two halves by the septum
The heart is divided into four chambers. The two top chambers are atria and the bottom two
chambers are ventricles
The left and right sides of the heart are separated by a wall of muscular tissue, called the
septum. The portion of the septum which separates the left and right atria is called the
interatrial septum, while the portion of the septum which separates the left and right
ventricles is called the interventricular septum
The septum is very important for ensuring blood doesn’t mix between the left and right sides
of the heart

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
Valves in the heart

Valves in the heart:
Open when the pressure of blood behind them is greater than the pressure in front of
them
Close when the pressure of blood in front of them is greater than the pressure behind
them
Valves are important for keeping blood flowing forward in the right direction and stopping it
flowing backwards. They are also important for maintaining the correct pressure in the
chambers of the heart
The right atrium and right ventricle are separated by the atrioventricular valve, which is
otherwise known as the tricuspid valve
The right ventricle and the pulmonary artery are separated by the pulmonary valve
The left atrium and left ventricle are separated by the mitral valve, which is otherwise known
as the bicuspid valve
The left ventricle and aorta are separated by the aortic valve
There are two blood vessels bringing blood to the heart; the vena cava and pulmonary
vein
There are two blood vessels taking blood away from the heart; the pulmonary artery and
aorta
Coronary arteries
The heart is a muscle and so requires its own blood supply for aerobic respiration
The heart receives blood through arteries on its surface, called coronary arteries
It’s important that these arteries remain clear of plaques, as this could lead to angina or a
heart attack (myocardial infarction)

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
The coronary arteries cover the outside of the heart, supplying it with oxygenated blood
Exam Tip
When looking at the heart, remember the right side of the heart will appear on the page as
being on the left. This is because the heart is labelled as if it were in your body and flipped
around.

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
8.3.2 THE WALLS OF THE HEART

The Walls of the Heart
The muscular walls of the atria are thinner than those of the ventricles
When the atria contract, the thin muscular walls do not generate much pressure, but enough
to force blood down into the ventricles, through the atrioventricular valves
In contrast, the walls of the ventricles are thicker and more muscular
Following contraction of the atria, the ventricles contract and squeeze blood inwards,
increasing its pressure and pushing it out of the heart through right and left semilunar valves
Left & right ventricle

The muscle of the left ventricle is significantly thicker than the right ventricle
This is because the blood leaving the right ventricle travels less distance than blood leaving
the left ventricle
The blood pumped out from the right ventricle travels to the lungs, whereas blood
leaving the left ventricle has to travel to the rest of the body to deliver oxygen for respiration.
To reach the rest of the body, the blood leaving the left ventricle must be under high
pressure
This is generated by the contraction of the muscular walls of the left ventricle
The right ventricle generates less pressure from the contraction of its thinner walls, as
blood only has to reach the lungs

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
Worked Example
A graph showing pressures changes in the heart is shown below
Explain the differences in pressure between left atrium and ventricle in the graph
The walls of the left atrium are thin, so the pressure generated by their contraction is low.
Low pressure is sufficient because blood is forced only a short distance; from the left atrium
down to the left ventricle. The muscular walls of the left ventricle are much thicker and
generate much higher pressure, as shown on the graph. This is because much more pressure
is generated when this thick muscle contracts and squeezes blood with enough force to reach
the rest of the body.

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
8.3.3 THE CARDIAC CYCLE

The Cardiac Cycle
The contraction of the heart is called systole, while the relaxation of the heart is called
diastole
Atrial systole is the period when the atria are contracting and ventricular systole is when the
ventricles are contracting
Atrial systole happens around 0.13 seconds after ventricular systole
During ventricular systole, blood is forced out of the pulmonary artery (to the lungs) and
aorta (to the rest of the body)
One systole and diastole makes a heartbeat and lasts around 0.8 seconds in humans. This is
the cardiac cycle
Pressure changes
During systole and diastole, heart valves open and close as a result of pressure changes
Valves are an important mechanism to stop blood flowing backwards
During diastole, the heart is relaxing

The atrioventricular valves open and the semilunar valves are closed
During systole, the heart contracts and pushes blood out of the heart
During this time, the atrioventricular valves are closed and the semilunar valves are
open
Pressure Changes in the Heart Table

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
8.3.4 HEART ACTION

Heart Action: Initiation & Control
Control of the basic heartbeat is myogenic, which means the heart will beat without any
external stimulus
This intrinsic rhythm means the heart beats at around 60 times per minute
The sinoatrial node (SAN) is a group of cells in the wall of the right atrium. The SAN
initiates a wave of depolarisation that causes the atria to contract
The Annulus fibrosus is a region of non-conducting tissue which prevents the depolarisation
spreading straight to the ventricles
Instead, the depolarisation is carried to the atrioventricular node (AVN)
This is a region of conducting tissue between atria and ventricles
After a slight delay, the AVN is stimulated and passes the stimulation along the bundle of
His
This delay means that the ventricles contract after the atria
The bundle of His is a collection of conducting tissue in the septum (middle) of the heart.
The bundle of His divides into two conducting fibres, called Purkyne tissue, and carries the
wave of excitation along them
The Purkyne fibres spread around the ventricles and initiate the depolarization of the
ventricles from the apex (bottom) of the heart
This makes the ventricles contract and blood is forced out of the pulmonary artery and
aorta

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
Stages in the cardiac cycle table
The wave of depolarisation spreads across the heart in a coordinated manner

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
Worked Example
Explain the roles of the sinoatrial node, the atrioventricular node and the
Purkyne fibres in a heartbeat.
The Sinoatrial node sends out a wave of excitation and this spreads across both atria, causing atrial
systole. Non-conducting tissue called the Annulus fibrosus prevents the excitation from spreading to
the ventricles and so this ensures that atria and ventricles don’t contract at the same time. The
Atrioventricular node then sends the wave of excitation to the ventricles after a short delay of
around 0.1 – 0.2 seconds, ensuring that the atria have time to empty their blood into the ventricles.
The Purkyne fibres conduct the excitation down the septum of the heart and to the apex, before the
excitation is carried upwards in the walls of the ventricles. This means that during ventricular
systole, the blood contracts from its base and blood is pushed upwards and outwards.
Exam Tip
Remember that the heart is myogenic, which means that the heart will generate a heartbeat
by itself and without any other stimulation. Instead, the electrical activity of the heart
regulates the heart rate.
Exam Question: Easy

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
Exam Question: Medium
Exam Question: Hard

YOUR NOTES
8.3 The Heart ⬇
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CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022 Revision Notes savemyexams.co.

8.3.2 The Walls of the Heart

8.3.3 The Cardiac Cycle

8.3.4 Heart Action

8.3.1 STRUCTURE OF THE HEART

The heart is a hollow, muscular organ located in the chest cavity

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

Valves in the heart

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

8.3.2 THE WALLS OF THE HEART

Left & right ventricle

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

A graph showing pressures changes in the heart is shown below

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

8.3.3 THE CARDIAC CYCLE

Atrial systole happens around 0.13 seconds after ventricular systole

Valves are an important mechanism to stop blood ﬂowing backwards

During diastole, the heart is relaxing

Pressure Changes in the Heart Table

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

8.3.4 HEART ACTION

This is a region of conducting tissue between atria and ventricles

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

Stages in the cardiac cycle table

The wave of depolarisation spreads across the heart in a coordinated manner

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

Exam Question: Easy

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

Exam Question: Medium

Exam Question: Hard

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

> CHECK YOUR ANSWERS AT SAVEMYEXAMS.CO.UK

CIE A Level Biology (9700) exams from 2022

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