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Cardiac Cycle Practice Quiz
Boost cardiac skills with our concise review
Use this cardiac cycle quiz to practice each phase of heart function, from atrial filling to ventricular ejection, and spot gaps before your next test. Answer 20 Grade 10 questions to build fast recall of systole, diastole, and valve timing, so you know exactly what to review next.
Study Outcomes
- Understand the sequence and phases of the cardiac cycle.
- Analyze the relationship between electrical activity and mechanical contractions in the heart.
- Apply cardiovascular physiology concepts to clinical scenarios.
- Evaluate the impact of hemodynamic changes during different stages of the cycle.
- Interpret data from interactive cardiac physiology questions to assess learning progress.
Cardiac Cycle Review Cheat Sheet
- Phases of the Cardiac Cycle - Picture your heart in three acts: atrial systole tops up the ventricles, ventricular systole pumps blood out, and diastole lets the chambers relax and refill. Understanding these steps is like learning the choreography of blood flow.
- Heart Sounds: "Lub" and "Dub" - Every heartbeat makes a duet of sounds: "lub" (S1) when the atrioventricular valves close, and "dub" (S2) when the semilunar valves seal. Learning to match these clicks to valve action turns auscultation into a superpower.
- Wiggers Diagram - This trusty chart maps pressures, volumes, and valve events across the cycle, making complex timing crystal clear. Think of it as a roadmap for every heartbeat twist and turn.
- Cardiac Volumes: EDV & ESV - End-diastolic volume (EDV) is the fill-up before the big squeeze, and end-systolic volume (ESV) is what's left afterward. Subtracting ESV from EDV gives stroke volume, your per-beat output.
- Cardiac Output - This measures how much blood your heart pumps per minute: CO = Stroke Volume × Heart Rate. It's your heart's performance score, showing how well it meets the body's demands.
- Ejection Fraction - Ejection fraction tells the percentage of blood ejected each beat with EF = (SV/EDV)×100%. A healthy heart typically knocks out around 55 - 70% per contraction.
- Valve Roles - Atrioventricular valves (tricuspid and mitral) steer blood from atria to ventricles, while semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonary) guard the exits. Together, they prevent backflow and keep circulation one-way.
- Phase Durations - In a 0.8-second cycle, atrial systole lasts ~0.1s, ventricular systole ~0.3s, and diastole ~0.4s. Knowing these timings helps predict how heart rate changes impact each phase.
- ECG and the Cardiac Cycle - The P wave marks atrial depolarization, the QRS complex shows ventricular depolarization (and systole), and the T wave aligns with repolarization (diastole). Linking ECG peaks to mechanical events ties electrical signals to actual heart action.
- Heart Rate Effects - As your HR climbs, each cardiac cycle compresses in time, especially shortening diastole. Understanding this explains why extreme exercise or tachycardia can impact filling and output.