The Cardiac CycleThe stages of one heartbeat, and what controls the rhythm.BiologyOne complete cycle, roughly 0.8 seconds at rest.1Atrial systoleAtria contract; the last 20–30% of ventricular filling.2Ventricular systoleVentricles contract; AV valves close — the first heart sound.3EjectionPressure exceeds the arteries; semilunar valves open.4DiastoleVentricles relax; semilunar valves close — the second sound.5Passive fillingBlood flows in from the atria.CONDUCTIONSA node — the pacemakerAV node — delays, letting atria emptyBundle of His and Purkinje fibres — ventricles contract from the apex upCardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate. Both rise with exercise,which is why output can increase several-fold.The Cardiac Cyclelearnposters.com
The Cardiac Cycle — printable life science wall chart from LearnPosters. Free vector PDF, US Letter and A4.

The Cardiac Cycle, step by step

One complete cycle, roughly 0.8 seconds at rest.

  1. Atrial systoleAtria contract; the last 20–30% of ventricular filling.
  2. Ventricular systoleVentricles contract; AV valves close — the first heart sound.
  3. EjectionPressure exceeds the arteries; semilunar valves open.
  4. DiastoleVentricles relax; semilunar valves close — the second sound.
  5. Passive fillingBlood flows in from the atria.

Conduction

  • SA node — the pacemaker
  • AV node — delays, letting atria empty
  • Bundle of His and Purkinje fibres — ventricles contract from the apex up

Cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate. Both rise with exercise, which is why output can increase several-fold.

Questions about the The Cardiac Cycle poster

What’s on the The Cardiac Cycle poster?
5 numbered steps, with a full worked run-through. One complete cycle, roughly 0.8 seconds at rest. Atrial systole — Atria contract; the last 20–30% of ventricular filling.; Ventricular systole — Ventricles contract; AV valves close — the first heart sound.; Ejection — Pressure exceeds the arteries; semilunar valves open.; Diastole — Ventricles relax; semilunar valves close — the second sound.; Passive filling — Blood flows in from the atria.. Cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate. Both rise with exercise, which is why output can increase several-fold.
Who is the The Cardiac Cycle poster for?
The Cardiac Cycle belongs to the Biology section rather than to a school year, because life science is not something one grade owns. Anyone learning physiology can pin it up — a beginner, a student mid-course, or someone revising years later.
When should you use the The Cardiac Cycle poster?
Pressure differences open and close the valves. Nothing else does. A wall chart earns its place by being glanceable from where the work is happening, so The Cardiac Cycle belongs on the wall where that life science work actually happens, within glancing distance, rather than filed away.
What other posters go with The Cardiac Cycle?
Blood Glucose Control, The Circulatory System and Digestive Enzymes sit alongside The Cardiac Cycle in the Biology section. Printed together they make a wall rather than a single sheet, which is how a reference set actually gets used.Blood Glucose ControlThe Circulatory SystemDigestive Enzymes
Is the The Cardiac Cycle poster free to download and print?
Yes. The Cardiac Cycle downloads as a free PDF with no account, no email and no watermark, like everything else in the Biology section. Print as many copies as you like for a home, a classroom, a library or a tutoring group; reselling the file is the only thing the licence rules out.Read the licence
What size does the The Cardiac Cycle poster print at?
The Cardiac Cycle is a vector PDF laid out for US Letter, and prints on A4 with Fit to page — the same file, no separate download. Because every mark on it is drawn rather than photographed, it stays sharp enlarged to A3, A2 or A1 at a copy shop. Colour carries emphasis only, so a greyscale print of The Cardiac Cycle loses nothing.Printing guide

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