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Flow of blood through the heart is as
follows. Blood enters the heart through the Superior and Inferior Vena
Cava. The blood then goes to the Right Atrium. From the Right Atrium
the blood then flows to the Right Ventricle. From the Right Ventricle the
blood flows through the Pulmonary Artery to the Lungs. From the Lungs the
blood, now oxygenated; flows through the Pulmonary Vein to the Left
Atrium. From the Left Atrium the blood then enters the Left
Ventricle. The Left Ventricle then squeezes and moves the blood through
the Aorta to the body.
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Put your hand on your heart. Did you place your hand
on the left side of your chest? Many people do, but the heart is actually
located almost in the center of the chest, between 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. |
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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. |
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Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6
liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one
day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)--that's four
times the distance across the US from coast to coast.
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