Path of Blood

1. The superior and inferior vena cava are the main veins that receive blood from the body

2. The right atrium receives blood from the body via the vena cavae

3. The blood then passes through the right atrioventricular valve, which is forced shut when the ventricles contract, preventing blood from reentering the atrium

4. The blood goes into the right ventricle

5. The right semilunar valve marks the beginning of the artery

6. The pulmonary artery or pulmonary trunk is the main artery taking deoxygenated blood to the lungs

7. Blood goes to the right and left lungs

8. From the lungs, the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood back into the heart

9. The blood passes through the left atrioventricular valve.

10. The blood enters the left ventricle

11. The blood passes through the left semilunar valve at the beginning of the aorta

12. The aorta is the main artery to the body. One of the first arteries to branch off is the coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart muscle itself so it can pump. From the capillaries in the heart muscle, the blood flows back through the coronary vein.

13. The aorta divides into arteries to distribute blood to the body

14. Veins carry the blood back to the superior and inferior vena cava