What Is The Heart?

The heart is a muscular organ responsible for pumping oxygenated blood through the blood vessels with repeat, rhythmic contractions. The human heart is located in the center of your chest, slightly offset to the left side. The average adult's heart is 9-12 ounces, or about the size of a clenched fist. It consists of four chambers, the two upper atria and the two lower ventricles, and four valves which open and close to let the blood flow through the heart in only one direction.
The right side of the heart collects oxygen-depleted blood and pumps the blood into the lungs so that carbon dioxide can be dropped off and fresh oxygen picked up. The left side of the heart collects the freshly-oxygenated blood and pumps it out to the.