Chapter 5 - Digestive System 01

Question 1

Explain the importance of the structural difference between a human and cow stomach.

Answer 1

Cows need a different digestive system because they are herbivores; plants take more time and effort to digest, meaning they need to accommodate for their diet.

Question 2

Why do some animals, such as honey possums, have relatively short digestive tracts?

Answer 2

The amount of digestion necessary varies depending on the diet of the animal - a honey possum eats nectar which doesn’t need much digestion.

Question 3

Why are carnivores able to gain sufficient nutrients and energy from the food they eat even though their alimentary canals are relatively shorter than those of herbivores?

Answer 3

Carnivores eat herbivorous animals and, unlike cellulose, protein is much easier to digest so they have a shorter alimentary canal.

Question 4

Explain why photosynthesis and cellular respiration are essential for all ecosystems.

Answer 4

Photosynthesis allows plants to make energy and grow. Herbivores eat those plants, and carnivores eat the herbivores.