Which opening allows blood to flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle?

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Study for the UCF ZOO3733C Human Anatomy Exam 3. Get ready with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations to help you succeed!

The right atrioventricular opening, also known as the tricuspid valve or right atrioventricular valve, is the anatomical structure that permits blood to flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle. This opening ensures unidirectional blood flow, meaning that blood moves only in one direction—from the atrium to the ventricle—during the cardiac cycle.

When the right atrium fills with deoxygenated blood returning from the body, the pressure increases, causing the tricuspid valve to open. This allows blood to pass into the right ventricle, which is essential for the subsequent phase of the heartbeat, during which the right ventricle contracts to pump blood to the lungs via the pulmonary artery.

Understanding the role of this opening is crucial because it is part of the heart's overall efficiency in managing blood circulation. The other options presented do not function to allow blood flow from the right atrium to the right ventricle. The left atrioventricular opening pertains to blood flow on the left side of the heart, the atrioventricular canal is a broader anatomical term that includes the space for both atrioventricular openings, and the pulmonary valve is related to blood flow from the right vent