| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the Digestive System? | -a collection of organs that work together to break down food so that it can be used by the body |
| What are the 2 types of digestion? | -mechanical digestion -chemical digestion |
| Describe mechanical digestion. | -the breaking, crushing, or mashing of food (mouth, esophagus, stomach) |
| Describe chemical digestion. | -large molecules are broken down into nutrients using enzymes and other chemicals (mouth, stomach, small intestine) |
| What is the digestive tract? | -the path that food takes throughout the body |
| What is the path of the digestive tract? | -mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Mouth |
-uses teeth to mechanically digest food; uses saliva (with enzymes) to chemically digest food |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Throat |
-the tube that leads to the esophagus |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Esophagus |
-squeezes food (peristalsis) into the stomach (mechanical digestion) |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Stomach |
-continues mechanical digestion -enzymes and acids help chemically digest food -the acid environment helps kill bacteria -food is reduced to chyme. |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Small Intestine |
-takes in chyme and continues chemical digestion; villi increases the surface area of the small intestine to allow for more nutrient absorption |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Large Intestine |
-removes water from undigested food and it compacts |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Rectum |
-it holds undigested food |
| Explain each part of the digestive tract. The Anus |
-undigested waste is eliminated |
| What do secondary organs do for digestion? | -food does NOT pass through these organs, but they aid in digestion |
| Name the secondary organs. | -pancreas, liver, gall bladder |
| What is the function of the pancreas? | -it secretes more enzymes into the small intestine and absorbs nutrients -it creates bicarbonate which helps neutralize acid |
| What is the function of the liver? | -it makes bile, which breaks down fat -it stores nutrients -it breaks down toxic substances in the blood -it makes cholesterol for the cell membranes |
| What is the function of the gall bladder? | -it temporarily stores bile and secretes it into the small intestine |
| Name some problems with the digestive system. | -heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, colon cancer, gastric ulcer |
| What is heartburn? | -a backflow of chyme into the esophagus causes a burning pain in the chest |
| What is constipation? | -not enough fiber, water, or exercise can lead to very dry waste |
| What is diarrhea? | -problems in the absorption of water; can lead to dehydration |
| What is colon cancer? | -cancer in a long portion of the large intestine |
| What is a gastric ulcer? | -an open sore in the stomach lining; can be caused by bacteria |
