What are the main stages of the cardiac cycle?

Blood enters the atria. It cannot pass into the ventricles because the atrioventricular valves are closed. The heart is in diastole.The atria contract. The pressure in the atria becomes greater than the pressure in the ventricles, and the atrioventricular valves open. Blood enters the ventricles. This is atrial systole.The ventricles contract. Pressure in the ventricles becomes greater than the pressure in the atria, and the atrioventricular valves close so that blood cannot return to the atria. Pressure in the ventricles becomes greater than the pressure in the aorta and pulmonary artery, so the semilunar valves open. Blood is ejected into the aorta and pulmonary artery. This is ventricular systole.

AA
Answered by Anshul A. Biology tutor

4824 Views

See similar Biology GCSE tutors

Related Biology GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Two snails belong to the same species. Yellow shelled snails found in grassland areas, dark shelled ones in woodland. Shell colour determined by genes. Explain how natural selection could have caused this distribution of snails


I don't understand anaerobic respiration and what an 'oxygen debt' is?


Explain why damaged villi may result in poor growth (4 marks)


What is eutrophication?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning