What structure divides the heart into right and left halves?

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The septum is the structure that divides the heart into right and left halves. It forms the interatrial septum between the atria and the interventricular septum between the ventricles, keeping blood on the right side separate from blood on the left. This separation is crucial for the separate pathways of circulation: the right side handles deoxygenated blood returning from the body, while the left side handles oxygenated blood going out to the body. The other options aren’t dividing walls: the aorta is a major artery leaving the left ventricle, the pericardium is the protective sac around the heart, and the myocardium is the muscular tissue of the heart walls.