SafekipediaWhat is a Heart?
The heart is a strong, muscular organ that lives inside your chest. It is like a little pump that moves blood all around your body. This blood gives your body what it needs to stay healthy and work well.
The heart is about the size of your closed fist and sits right between your lungs in a special area called the mediastinum. It beats all the time, even when you are sleeping! A healthy adult heart beats about 72 times every minute when resting.
How Does the Heart Work?
The heart has four parts called chambers. There are two upper chambers called atria and two lower chambers called ventricles. These chambers work together to push blood out and let new blood in. Blood moves in one direction because of special parts called heart valves. These valves make sure blood does not flow backward.
Inside the heart, special cells act like tiny bosses. They send electrical signals that tell the heart when to beat. This keeps the heart’s rhythm steady and strong.
Why is the Heart Important?
The heart is very important because it sends blood everywhere in your body. Blood carries oxygen from your lungs to all your organs and tissues. It also helps remove waste, like carbon dioxide, that your body does not need.
People have known about the heart for a very long time. Ancient thinkers like Aristotle and Plato had their own ideas about what the heart does. Much later, a scientist named William Harvey discovered how blood really flows through the heart and body. His work helped doctors and scientists learn much more about how our bodies stay healthy.
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