Roughly the size of a clenched fist, the heart pumps blood throughout the body. The circulating blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to the tissues while eliminating carbon dioxide and other waste through the kidneys, liver, and lungs. The heart executes its task through the combined effort of three components — the structure, electrical system and circulatory system.
The heart has four chambers - the right and left atria, and the right and left ventricles. A muscle wall called the septum divides the two sides of the heart; the right side of the heart drives blood to the lungs while the left side pumps it to the rest of the body.
Blood from the body is collected in the right atrium and is pushed into the right ventricle with a small beat of the upper chamber of the heart. In the pulmonary circuit, deoxygenated blood leaves the right ventricle of the heart through the pulmonary artery and moves to the lungs.
It's tipped slightly so that a part of it sticks out and taps against the left side of the chest, which is what makes it seem as though it is located there. Hold out your hand and make a fist. If you're a kid, your heart is about the same size as your fist, and if you're an adult, it's about the same size as two fists. Your heart beats about , times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2. Give a tennis ball a good, hard squeeze.
You're using about the same amount of force your heart uses to pump blood out to the body. The others have three. Under normal conditions, the valves let blood flow in just one direction.
This is governed by an electrical impulse. A chamber of the heart contracts when an electrical impulse moves across it.
This pacemaker generates electrical impulses at a given rate, but emotional reactions and hormonal factors can affect its rate of discharge. This lets the heart rate respond to varying demands. Search for:. Medical Review: Rakesh K. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.
Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » How the Heart Works. Top of the page. Topic Overview The heart is at the center of your circulatory system, which is a network of blood vessels that delivers blood to every part of your body.
Your heart is a muscle, and its job is to pump blood throughout your circulatory system. How does my heart pump blood? Your heart is divided into two separate pumping systems, the right side and the left side. The right side of your heart receives oxygen-poor blood from your veins and pumps it to your lungs, where it picks up oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide. The left side of your heart receives oxygen-rich blood from your lungs and pumps it through your arteries to the rest of your body.
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