Question: how does the heart pump blood through the body

Matthew Smith answered on 4 Mar 2019:

The heart is effectively a giant pump. In order to make the heart pump the blood, it applies a small electrical charge (this is what a ‘pacemaker’ does when it is put in people with heart conditions), the causes the muscle (it is muscle that makes up almost all of the heart and this is what makes it so strong) to contract and squeezes the blood out of the heart. Each time it contracts is when you hear your heart beat ( you can count your heart beat by placing your index and forefinger to the underside of your wrist or on the side of your neck, ask your teacher to show you).

Blood leaving your heart has lots of oxygen, which your cells need to survive. This blood is carried through tubes called arteries. Arteries are very muscly and flexible and help transport blood all around your body efficiently. Veins carry blood back to your heart. Unlike arteries, veins are much wider and have valves which ensure that blood only flows in one direction.

I hope this answers your question! If there’s anything you’re keen to learn more about or didn’t understand just message me!