Why are the walls of the left ventricle thicker than the walls of the right ventricle?

The human body possesses a double circulatory system, in which blood passes through the heart in two cycles. In the first cycle, the right ventricle only pumps blood as far as the lungs (to enable oxygenation of the blood). When this newly-oxygenated blood returns to the left hand side of the heart during the second cycle, it is then pumped around the entire body by the left ventricle. This requires significantly more force than the pumping of blood to the lungs, hence why the left ventricle has thicker walls than the right ventricle.

Answered by Henry W. Biology tutor

9690 Views

See similar Biology GCSE tutors

Related Biology GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Explain the structure of the heart and relate the structure to its function


What is a gene?


What role does auxin play in the processes of phototropism?


Describe how air is moved in to and out of your lungs.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo
Cookie Preferences