Use a preserved pig heart to identify external landmarks and internal chambers, valves, and vessels. Trace the path of blood through the right and left sides to connect structure with one-way flow and double circulation.

• Follow instructions provided in the links below.

Heart Dissection GCSE A Level Biology NEET Practical Skills - Ava Hearts Biology:

Pig Heart Dissection - from start to finish - Imagine Jenkins:

📄 Pig Heart Dissection - Biology Junction: https://biologyjunction.com/heart-dissection/

📄 Virtual Pig - Whitman College: https://www.whitman.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/biology/virtual-pig

• Inject dyed water through the vena cava or pulmonary veins to visualize valve function and flow paths.
• Compare pig, sheep, or beef hearts for size and wall thickness differences relative to body size and lifestyle.
• Map coronary circulation by threading fine tubing into the coronary ostia from the aorta.

• Wear gloves and a lab apron; avoid contact with preservatives and do not touch your face.
• Use scissors for most cuts; if a scalpel is required, make shallow strokes on the tray and cut away from fingers.
• Treat all tissues and fluids as potential biohazards; keep food and drink out of the lab.
• Dispose of biological waste and blades in approved containers; disinfect tools and benches after the lab; wash hands thoroughly.

• Why is the left ventricular wall thicker than the right? (It must generate higher pressure to drive systemic circulation.)
• What prevents backflow from the ventricles into the atria during systole? (Atrioventricular valves—tricuspid and mitral—supported by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles.)
• Where are semilunar valves located and what is their role? (At the bases of the pulmonary trunk and aorta; they prevent backflow into the ventricles during diastole.)
• Which vessels carry oxygen-poor vs. oxygen-rich blood entering and leaving the heart? (Venae cavae and pulmonary artery carry oxygen-poor; pulmonary veins and aorta carry oxygen-rich.)
• What structural feature supplies oxygen to the heart muscle itself? (Coronary arteries arising from the aortic root via coronary ostia.)
• How does double circulation improve oxygen delivery compared with single circulation? (It separates pulmonary and systemic circuits, maintaining higher systemic pressure without damaging lung capillaries.)
• What is the function of the pericardial cavity and fluid you observed around the heart? (They reduce friction as the heart beats and help stabilize position.)