Answer to Question #225148 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Moe

Question

3.2 Why does the left ventricle have a thicker wall than the right ventricle?
a. A more muscular wall is required to supply the pumping that powers the flow
of blood into the pulmonary circuit.
b. A more muscular wall is required to supply the pumping that powers the flow
of blood into the systemic circuit.
c. The position of the heart in the chest cavity allows for the left ventricle to
develop a thicker wall than the right ventricle
d. The left ventricle is responsible for systole, while the right ventricle is
responsible for diastole.
e. The left ventricle contains the pacemaker.

Answer 1

The correct choice here is:

b) A more muscular wall is required to supply the pumping that powers the flow

of blood into the systemic circuit.

Explanation.

Your heart's left ventricle is bigger and thicker than the right ventricle. This is because, in comparison to the right ventricle, it needs to pump blood farther throughout the body and against the greater pressure. The left ventricle must pump blood at a greater pressure to reach all parts of the body (including the fingers and toes), while the right ventricle is solely responsible for pumping blood to the lungs. The left ventricle sends oxygenated blood via the arteries to the capillaries in the body's tissues, which is known as systemic circulation. The deoxygenated blood returns to the right atrium of the heart through a system of veins from the tissue capillaries.