Page 130 - DK Children's Encyclopedia
P. 130

Heart                                                                             SEE ALSO

                                                                                               ▸ ▸ Body cells  p.41
                                                                                               ▸ ▸ Brain  p.45
           The heart is a pump about the size of a fist. It is mainly                          ▸ ▸ Feelings  p.99
           made of muscle and it pushes blood around the body                                  ▸ ▸ Human body
           by squashing itself in and out around 80 times a minute.                             p.130

           Blood is a liquid that carries oxygen and food around the                           ▸ ▸ Lungs  p.149
           body. If the heart stops beating, the body stops working.                           ▸ ▸ Medicine  p.160





       Inside the heart                                                                  Circulation
       The heart pumps blood                                                             Blood with oxygen in it travels
       every second of the day.                                         This artery carries   around the body, pumped along
                                                                        blood without
       The right side of the heart                                      oxygen to the lungs.  by the heart. The oxygen is
       sends blood to the lungs.                                                         dropped off in different places,
       The left side sends blood                                                         then comes back to the heart
       to the rest of the body.                                                          to be pushed to the lungs.





                                                                                             Artery
           Atrium
           The heart has two
           “chambers” on each                                                                                  Vein
           side, called atriums.
                                                                                           Heart



           Valve
           Valves are gates that
           only open one way, so
           blood can only travel
           in one direction.


         Blood
         Blood contains tiny parts
         called cells. Red blood cells
         carry oxygen and waste
         gas. White blood cells kill
         germs. Broken bits of cells
         stick together to make a
         scab when the body is cut.










                                    Vein                Artery
                                    Blood arrives from   Blood is pushed
                                    the body through    out to the body in
                                    tubes called veins.  tubes called arteries.
                                                                                                     Blood vessels

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   US_128_Heart.indd   128                                                                                       16/05/2017   09:48
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