Heart Dissection

Compare the structure of the atria and ventricles - how are they different?  Why is that?

Atria: thin muscular walls, blood enters them through a blood vessel and leaves through a valve
Ventricles: thick muscular walls, blood enters them through a valve and leaves through a blood vessel.

Did you notice a difference between the veins and arteries entering and leaving the heart?  How is their structure different?
Veins: carry deoxygenated blood back to  heart (except in pulmonary vein), thin muscular wall, little elastic tissue, blood under low pressure, blood flows slowly  

Arteries: carry oxygenated blood from heart (except in pulmonary artery), thick muscular wall, have lots of elastic tissue, blood under high pressure, blood flows rapidly

Describe the valves that you found in the heart - what are their functions?

AV Valves (Tricuspid & Mitral):  

Tricuspid: between right atrium and right ventricle, closes when the right ventricle contracts therefore the blood from the ventricles are able to go out of the heart  

Mitral: between left atrium & left ventricle, closes when left ventricle contracts, preventing back flow of blood into left atrium

Semi-lunar Valve: allow blood to flow from atria to ventricles, & prevent back flow of blood when the ventricles contract

What surprised you about dissecting the heart?  Why?

I was just surprised about how complex the heart really was! Although I did not participate in the act of cutting the heart apart, I was able to see everything. It is so weird to think that that thing is actually in our body and one of the main reasons why we're alive! I was also surprised when I was able to recognize the ventricles and atrium's. Excluding the fact that the heart was VERY disgusting, it was very cool/interesting to see what the heart actually looked like since we always saw it on paper!