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This lesson covers the structure and function of the mammalian heart and the circulatory system as required by the Edexcel A-Level Biology specification (9BI0). You need to understand the double circulatory system, the detailed anatomy of the heart, and how blood flows through the heart chambers, valves, and associated vessels. You should also be prepared for the Edexcel required practical involving dissection of the mammalian heart.
Mammals are large, metabolically active organisms. As discussed in Lesson 1, their small surface area to volume ratio means that diffusion alone is far too slow to transport substances between exchange surfaces and cells deep within the body. A circulatory system is therefore essential to:
Mammals have a double circulatory system, meaning that blood passes through the heart twice for each complete circuit of the body.
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