Part 1: Investigating the external structure of the heart

In this video we start by looking at the external structure of the heart. By the end of this practical you should be able to:

• Identify the left and right sides of the heart
• Identify the major blood vessels as they enter and exit the heart
• Identify the minor blood vessels that supply the heart muscle
• Identify the myocardium and understand how the thickness of the heart wall relates to its function
• Identify the heart valves and chordae tendineae and understand how they prevent back flow of blood

You can download a printable version of the Week 1 home practical guide: Investigating the structure of the heart.

In the next step we’ll investigate the internal structure of the heart.

Dr Natasha Barrett and the University of Reading are happy for these videos to be used as learning resources in teaching. If you do wish to use the home practical videos, please ensure that you also include the safety information which accompany each practical. The safety video for this practical is in Step 1.13 and in the article in Step 1.14. If you wish to use the video or any other video on the course, please attribute the University of Reading. Please do not modify any of the videos from the course.