Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance 9th Edition by Scott Powers, Edward Howley

Exercise 2

Briefly outline the design of the heart. Why is the heart often called ‘two pumps in one”?

Step 1 of 2

The heart of higher organisms has two types of circulation; the pulmonary and the systemic circulations. Due to this, it is called as “two pumps in one.” The following are the structural features of the vertebrate heart:

• It has two atria, the right atrium and the left atrium

• It has two ventricles, the right ventricle and the left ventricle

• The right atrium and the right ventricle are together considered the right pump

• Similarly, the left atrium and the left ventricle together constitute the left pump

• The right and left sides of the heart are separated by a muscular wall called the interventricular septum. It prevents the mixing of blood from the two sides of the heart

• Blood always flows from the atria to the ventricles, and from the ventricles to the arteries

• The atrioventricular valves connect the atria with the ventricles. The right atrioventricular valve is called tricuspid valve and the left atrioventricular valve is called bicuspid valve