Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 The Circulatory System

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Interesting Facts about the Circulatory System…. The heart muscles will stop working only when we die. The human heart continues to beat even after it is taken out of the body or cut in to pieces. An adult human body contains five to six liters of blood and an infant has about one liter of blood. Except the heart and lungs, all the other parts of the body receive their blood supply from the largest artery of the body, the aorta. The Pulmonary vein is the only vein in the human body that carries blood with oxygen while all the other veins of the body carries blood with carbon dioxide. Human blood is colorless. It is the hemoglobin; a pigment present in the red blood cells that is responsible for the red color of the blood. Heartbeat is the sound produced by the closing of valves in the heart when the blood is pushed through its chamber. A women's heart beat is faster than that of a man's.

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 What is the circulatory system What's included in the circulatory system? Heart Arteries Veins Capillaries

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 The Heart How big is the heart? Where is the heart? The Heart is a big lump of muscle

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Explanation of Heart Right Atrium Right Ventricle Left Atrium Left Ventricle Valves The heart has 4 chambers: 2 on the Right: received blood and 2 on the left: pumps the blood out How does the heart pump? What kind of blood does each side pump? Which side of the heart is thicker

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Stethoscopes

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Real Heart

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 How Hard Does our Heart Work? Squeeze and release the object without slowing down for the next minute! Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times.

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Circulation Red = Artery Blue = Vein Artery carries fresh blood around the body. Blood passes capillaries and oxygen and nutrients are taken up by our organs. Deoxygenated blood is returned back into the heart. Heart pumps this blood back to the lungs to collect more oxygen.

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 How much Blood does Your Heart Pump? Your body has about 5.6 litres of blood. This 5.6 litres of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km -- that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast. The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime--that's enough to fill more than 3 super tankers. The heart pumps around a third of a cup each time it beats.

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Why is blood pumped around the body? Carry red blood cell around: so our body can use oxygen. (why is oxygen needed?) Carry white blood cells around body: white blood cells act as soldiers to protect us.

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Feeling your Blood Move Find your pulse on your wrist or just under your jaw bone on the side of your neck Take your pulse Walk for 30 seconds Take your pulse Star jumps for 30 seconds Take your pulse Rest for 30 seconds Take your pulse The pulse you feel is blood stopping and starting as it moves through your arteries. Your resting pulse might range from 90 to 120 beats per minute (bpm). As an adult, your pulse rate slows to an average of 72 beats per minute.

Primary Science Teaching Resources Monash Science Centre © 2006 Exercise and your Heart When exercising your body needs carbohydrates. These carbohydrates need to mix with oxygen before they can create energy. The heart is needed to supply oxygen to body – like to muscles where the energy is needed.