The human heart typically weighs between 10 to 12 ounces and is roughly the size of a large fist. The average heart beats about 100,000 times each day and beats roughly 3 million times over the course of a lifetime. The heart is located in the center of the chest and typically points toward the left.Continue Reading
The human heart consists of four chambers. The upper chambers are the left and right atrium, and the lower chambers are the left and right ventricles. A wall of muscle known as the septum separates the left and right sides of the heart. Blood flows between the chambers through a series of valves that open and close with each contraction. A double-walled sack known as the pericardium encases the heart and serves to protect and anchor it within the chest cavity.
The human heart pumps blood throughout the body using two primary pathways, the pulmonary circuit and the systemic circuit. Deoxygenated blood leaves through the right ventricle of the heart via the pulmonary artery and then travels to the lungs. Oxygen-rich blood returns to the left atrium of the heart through the pulmonary vein, completing the pulmonary circuit. The systemic circuit carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body through a system of arteries and capillaries.Learn more about Organs