Blood returns from the body through the venae cavae to the right atrium, passes the tricuspid valve to the right ventricle, then the pulmonary valve and pulmonary artery to the lungs. It comes back through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium, the mitral valve, the left ventricle, the aortic valve and the aorta.
What is the order of blood flow through the heart?
1. Superior and inferior venae cavae (oxygen-poor blood from the body)
2. Right atrium
3. Tricuspid valve
4. Right ventricle
5. Pulmonary valve
6. Pulmonary artery (oxygen-poor blood to the lungs)
7. Lungs: blood picks up oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide
8. Pulmonary veins (oxygen-rich blood back to the heart)
9. Left atrium
10. Mitral valve
11. Left ventricle (generates the pressure to reach the whole body)
12. Aortic valve
13. Aorta
14. Body tissues, then back to the venae cavae
Do arteries always carry oxygen-rich blood?
No. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood toward it, whatever the oxygen content. The pulmonary artery carries oxygen-poor blood to the lungs, and the pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood back to the left atrium.
How the lab works
Practice mode: order 4 to 6 cards, or the whole 14-step route, with feedback on every position.
Exam mode: 4 to 6 cards scored all or nothing, as ATI describes for ordered-response items (four to six options; correct only if every option is in the right place).
Drag with a mouse or touch, use the keyboard (Space to pick up, arrow keys to move, Space to drop) or use the Move up and Move down buttons.
An original heart diagram highlights each step, with an oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich view.
Questions and answers
What is the order of blood flow through the heart? Venae cavae, right atrium, tricuspid valve, right ventricle, pulmonary valve, pulmonary artery, lungs, pulmonary veins, left atrium, mitral valve, left ventricle, aortic valve, aorta, then the body. The right side sends oxygen-poor blood to the lungs; the left side sends oxygen-rich blood to the body.
Which vessels carry oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood? The venae cavae and the pulmonary artery carry oxygen-poor blood. The pulmonary veins and the aorta carry oxygen-rich blood. Arteries are named for carrying blood away from the heart and veins for carrying it toward the heart, so the pulmonary artery is an artery even though its blood is oxygen-poor.
How do the heart and lungs work together? The right ventricle pumps oxygen-poor blood through the pulmonary artery to the lung capillaries, where it picks up oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide. The pulmonary veins return that oxygen-rich blood to the left atrium, and the left ventricle pumps it to the body. This loop is the pulmonary circuit.
Which valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle? The tricuspid valve. The mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle, the pulmonary valve between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery, and the aortic valve between the left ventricle and aorta. Valves limit backflow so blood moves one way.
How are ordered-response questions scored on the TEAS? ATI describes ordered-response items as dragging four to six options into the correct order, and the item counts as correct only if every option is in the right place. There is no partial credit, so this lab's exam mode scores the whole order at once.
How much anatomy and physiology is on the TEAS 7? ATI's content table lists 18 scored Human Anatomy and Physiology items out of 44 scored Science items. The Science section has 50 questions in 60 minutes, including unscored pretest items you cannot identify.
Sample questions with explanations
Blood has just passed through the tricuspid valve. Which structure does it enter next? Answer: A. Right ventricle. The tricuspid valve separates the right atrium from the right ventricle, so blood passing through it moves into the right ventricle. The right atrium comes before the valve, and the pulmonary artery comes after the pulmonary valve.
Which vessel carries oxygen-poor blood away from the heart? Answer: C. Pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery carries blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. It is an artery because it carries blood away from the heart, and that blood is oxygen-poor because it has not yet reached the lungs. The vena cava carries oxygen-poor blood toward the heart.
Which chamber pumps blood into the aorta? Answer: B. Left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood through the aortic valve into the aorta. It generates the high pressure needed to reach the whole body. The right ventricle pumps into the pulmonary artery.
TEASPATH is independent of ATI. Lab scenarios, data and questions are original practice material, not real TEAS items. Practice results are not official scores or admission predictions.
Independence
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