Digestion Flashcards
mechanical digestion
breaking food into smaller pieces
chemical digestion
breaking nutrients into smaller molecules
hydrolysis
splitting molecules by adding water - happens during chemical digestion
enzymes
speeds up chemical digestion - hydrolyses
anus
butt hole - end of digestive track
alimentary canal
tube between mouth and anus
accessory organs
liver, gallbladder, pancreas
surface area
happens after mechanical digestion - makes easier to swallow and digest
salivary glands
releases saliva during mechanical digestion - contains enzyme amylase
amylase
breaks down starch into smaller carbohydrate molecules (monosaccharides and disaccharides) - found in saliva
pharynx
throat, leads to windpipe and esophagus
esophagus
between pharynx and stomach
epiglottis
covers the windpipe - prevents food from entering the respiratory system
stomach
after esophagus in digestion
peristalsis
muscular contractions that push food through body
gastric juice
released by stomach - made up of hydrochloric acid and proteases
protease
protein digesting enzymes
chyme
the mix of gastric juices and partially digested food
small intestine
after stomach in digestion
pyloric sphincter
releases small portions of chyme to the small intestine
liver
produces bile
bile
in gallbladder - helps break down fats - produced by liver
gallbladder
stores bile to help with digestion
pancreas
supplies a number of enzymes needed for digestion
villi
live in small intestine - increase surface area for the absorption of the end products of digestions into the blood and lymph
large intestine (colon)
undigested food moves here after small intestine - responsible for reabsorbing water that has entered the alimentary canal
rectum
solid waste stored here before being expelled
egestion
elimination of body - pooping
