Sheep Heart Observation Report

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At the beginning of this experiment, we started with observations. We examined the sheep pluck through sight and touch. One of the most prominent aspect that struck me was the structure of the trachea. The trachea was long, tubular and the interior was lined with rings and ridges. The ridges were made of cartilage which provided rigidity and structure. The stiffness helped to keep the trachea open or else it would collapse which makes it difficult for air to enter and travel down to the lungs. Even when we dissected parts of the trachea off, the disassembled pieces remained rigid and kept their shape. We progressed the observation to the lungs and the heart. I had a moment of confusion when I saw the heart because the apex was protruding out from between the lungs. I had forgotten we were dissecting an animal and I did not adjust my thinking of anatomy from humans to animals. Since the entire heart of the sheep was not embedded between the lungs, it required extra support to protect it from trauma and force. This explained why the sheep heart was …show more content…

Through the examination, it was evident that the tissues within the heart varied significantly in thickness and size. We were able to insert our fingers through the blood vessels. By doing so, we were able to identify whether the vessel was an artery or vein. The artery of the heart was much thicker and bigger than the veins, this was because the arteries were responsible for transferring oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body, which requires great strength. The heart itself created pressure differences that helped blood to flow from high to low pressure. The artery pumped blood at high pressure so that it could travel to all the body parts. The thick walls of the arteries were needed to withstand the high pressure coming from the heart. The blood returned to the heart through veins, and because of the lower pressure, the walls of the veins were

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