SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 9

Living Things and Their Environment

Quarter 1 Week 3
Most Essential Learning Competency
Explain how the respiratory and circulatory systems
work together to transport nutrients, gases, and other
molecules to and from the different parts of the body
(S9LT-Ia-b-26)
Objectives:
1. Explain why the heart is an important organ in
our body
2. Examine a pig heart through hands-on
dissection
3. Identify the many different structures
associated with the heart including both
external and internal structures
4. Describe the functions of the different
structures inside of the heart
 The Anatomy of the Heart
External Features of the Heart
The heart is contained within a thin
membranous sac, the pericardium. The
small picture at right shows a bit of the
cut pericardium on the posterior surface
of the heart.
 The Anatomy of the Heart
External Features of the Heart
The anterior surface of the heart is characterized by
the presence of the large arteries leaving the base
of the heart, the pulmonary trunk (H) and the aorta
(G).

The inferior part of the heart is called the apex (A)

because it comes to a point, like the apex of a cone.
The superior part of the heart is referred to as the
base (B). The major vessels of the heart are found
at the base of the heart, along with the upper
chambers, the right atrium (C) and left atrium (D).
The atria are collapsed, but in a functioning heart,
they would be stretched full of blood.
 The Anatomy of the Heart
External Features of the Heart
The majority of the heart tissue consists of the
ventricles. The left ventricle (F) is stiff and solid
because it is very thick-walled. By contrast, the
right ventricle (E) has thinner walls, and would
collapse a little if you poked it.
 The Anatomy of the Heart
Internal Features of the Heart
The figure at right shows a sectioned heart where you can
see the internal structures of the heart. The left and right
ventricles are separated by the large interventricular
septum (A). Note the relative thickness of the walls of
the right ventricle (B) and left ventricle (C). The inner
surface of the heart is covered with irregular bands of
tissue known as trabeculae carneae. The papillary
muscles (D; red arrows) are distinct little hills of muscle
that poke up from the inner surface of the heart. At the tips
of the papillary muscles are the chordae tendineae (E;
yellow arrows), strings of connective tissue that attach to
the edges of the atrioventricular valves (AV valves).