Heart dissection
Aim:
To investigate the structure of a sheep heart and analyse how it works.
Method:
- 1. Explain the difference in thickness between the left and right ventricles.
- 2. Explain the difference in thickness between the atria and the ventricles.
- 3. Draw a table of all valves state where they are and describe their functions.
- 4. Describe the pathway of blood through the heart, starting at the vena cava and ending at the aorta.
- 5. Describe the action of the heart in making move through it.
2. The left ventricle is thicker than the right ventricle because the left ventricle has to pump blood to the entire body, while the right ventricle only has to pump blood to the lungs, which requires less force. Therefore, the left ventricular wall is more muscular to provide a more powerful "push" to the systemic circulation.
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Peer Reviews
Here's what a star student thought of this essay
Quality of writing
This essay is written well, but there are numerous inconsistencies and mistakes. For example, capitalising "Heart" and "Ventricle" within a sentence is unnecessary, and there are times where sentences don't make sense: "Describe the action of the heart in making move through it". It is key that students proof read their coursework before submitting it!
Level of analysis
The analysis is sound, but more scientific terms could be used throughout. For example, when referring to the left ventricle, I always say it has a thicker muscle to create a greater pressure when it contracts, due to its role in pumping the blood to cells in the body. This would've led nicely onto a discussion about oxygenated blood and the double circulatory system - this is another whole area which could be explored and is vital when discussing the mammalian heart. Although this is GCSE level, if the candidate wanted to access higher level marks, a discussion of pressures within the different chambers causing valves to close would gain them credit. Similarly, an awareness of the atrioventricular node (AVN) and the sino-atrial node (SAN) which regulate the heartbeat would've meant the analysis was of a higher level. Although their diagram mentions atrial systole, ventricular diastole, etc, it is not mentioned in text. I'd like to note you cannot gain marks for knowledge by simply referring to it in a diagram!
Response to question
This essay explains the structure of the heart, linking well it to its function. I'm unsure why the questions are posed as a method, but these are all answered within the essay. There is plenty of room for improvement, including more detailed analysis and a discussion of the double circulatory system in mammals.
