How is the pulse produced in the arteries?

The pulse is produced by the rhythmic beating of the heart. When the heart undergoes systole—the period of ventricular contraction—it ejects blood into the aorta.21

This sudden ejection of blood creates an impact against the elastic walls of the arteries, resulting in their alternate expansion and contraction. This mechanical action generates a pressure wave that travels along the arterial system. The pulse we feel at the surface of the skin is the physical manifestation of this pressure wave as it moves through the vessels. While all arteries exhibit this pulse, it is most easily detected at specific anatomical locations where the vessels lie close to the body's surface, such as the wrist, neck, or temple.2