Heart Function
Elementary School
Definition
The role of the heart as a muscular pump that circulates blood throughout the body. By contracting rhythmically, it sends oxygen-rich blood to the tissues and returns oxygen-poor blood to the lungs.
Worked examples
Right ventricle contracts → pushes oxygen-poor blood → pulmonary arteries → lungs
The right side of the heart pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs for gas exchange.
Left ventricle contracts → pushes oxygen-rich blood → aorta → body tissues
The left side pumps oxygenated blood from the lungs out to the entire body through the aorta.
Common mistakes
- The heart only pumps oxygen-rich blood → The heart pumps both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood The right side handles deoxygenated blood; the left side handles oxygenated blood.
- The left side of the heart sends blood to the lungs → The right side sends blood to the lungs; the left sends it to the body Right = lungs (pulmonary circulation), left = body (systemic circulation).
- The heart adds oxygen to the blood as it pumps → The heart pumps blood; the lungs add oxygen The heart circulates blood but does not oxygenate it — that happens in the lungs.
Where you'll use it next
Heart function is foundational for studying the circulatory system, blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, exercise physiology, and how nutrients and waste move through your body in biology and health science.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026