The Human Heart — Structure, Function & Circulation

Biology worksheet · Upper secondary (ages 14–16) · 2 pages

Name: Class: Date: Total: / 40

Inside the heart — labelled reference diagram

Study first

Labelled cross-section diagram of the human heart showing chambers, valves and major blood vessels — Figure 1 — Cross-section of the human heart.
Natalieconstancehall, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Use Figure 1 to complete the table. Write the name of each structure and state in one short phrase what it does.

#	Structure	Function
1	Right atrium
2	Right ventricle
3	Left atrium
4	Left ventricle
5	Aorta
6	Pulmonary artery
7	Vena cava
8	Valve

Tip: the wall of the left ventricle is much thicker than the right — think about where each ventricle pumps blood to.

Label the unlabelled heart

8 marks

Write the correct label from the word bank next to each letter A–H on the diagram. Each word is used once.

Unlabelled cross-section drawing of the human heart for students to label — Figure 2 — Label this heart using the word bank.

Word bank

aorta
left atrium
left ventricle
pulmonary artery
pulmonary vein
right atrium
right ventricle
vena cava

A		E
B		F
C		G
D		H

Draw a straight line from each letter on the diagram to the structure it names.

Structure and function — match and explain

8 marks

Match each structure in Column A with its correct description in Column B. Write the letter in the answer box.

Column A — Structure	Column B — Description	Answer
1. Septum	A. Prevents blood flowing back from a ventricle into an atrium
2. Atrioventricular valve	B. Muscular wall that separates the left and right sides of the heart
3. Coronary artery	C. Carries oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart
4. Pulmonary vein	D. Supplies oxygen and glucose to the heart muscle itself
5. Aorta	E. Thick-walled vessel that carries blood from the left ventricle to the body
6. Pacemaker (SA node)	F. Sets the rhythm of the heartbeat by sending electrical impulses

Now explain in your own words: why is the muscular wall of the left ventricle thicker than that of the right ventricle?

Double circulation — order the pathway

6 marks

The boxes below show the route of blood through the heart and body, but they are in the wrong order. Number them 1–6 to show the correct sequence, starting from the vena cava.

Vena cava

→

Right ventricle

→

Lungs

→

Left ventricle

→

Body

Write the missing structures in the dashed boxes, then number the whole pathway 1–6 underneath.

True or false?

6 marks

Tick T for true or F for false. For any statement you mark false, correct it on the line below the table.

1. Arteries always carry oxygenated blood.	T / F
2. The heart is a double pump: the right side sends blood to the lungs and the left side to the body.	T / F
3. Blood in the left side of the heart is oxygenated.	T / F
4. Valves in the veins stop blood flowing backwards.	T / F
5. The pulmonary artery carries oxygenated blood away from the heart.	T / F
6. Red blood cells carry oxygen using haemoglobin.	T / F

Multiple choice — check your understanding

6 marks

1. Which chamber pumps blood into the aorta?

Right atriumRight ventricleLeft atriumLeft ventricle

2. Where does blood go immediately after leaving the right ventricle?

To the lungsTo the bodyTo the left atriumTo the coronary arteries

3. What is the main function of the valves in the heart?

To speed up the bloodTo prevent backflow of bloodTo make blood oxygenatedTo store blood

4. Which vessel carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs?

Pulmonary veinAortaPulmonary arteryVena cava

5. Why is the heart called a double pump?

It has two valvesIt pumps blood to the lungs and to the body in two separate circuitsIt beats twice per secondIt has two coronary arteries

6. Which structure separates the left and right sides of the heart?

SeptumValveAortaAtrium

Human heart worksheet