Digestion and Nutrition Flashcards
What is the primary function of the digestive system?
To break down food and absorb nutrients
Which of the following is NOT a component of the alimentary canal? Mouth
Esophagus
Liver
Small intestine
Liver
Where does most nutrient absorption occur in the digestive system?
Small intestine
What process moves food through the alimentary canal?
Peristalsis
Which of the following is the function of bile in digestion?
Breaking down proteins
Emulsifying fats
Absorbing nutrients
Producing vitamins
Emulsifying fats
Which enzyme breaks down carbohydrates in the mouth?
Amylase
What role do villi play in digestion?
Increase surface area for nutrient absorption
How does the pancreas aid in digestion?
Produces enzymes to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
Which organ stores bile before releasing it into the small intestine?
Gallbladder
Which of the following nutrients is NOT digested in the stomach?
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Fats
Nucleic acids
Carbohydrates
What is the primary function of the large intestine?
Absorb water and electrolytes
Which part of the alimentary canal is responsible for mechanical digestion through chewing?
Mouth
How does temperature affect enzyme activity in digestion?
Denatures enzymes at very high temperatures
What is the role of the pyloric sphincter in digestion?
Regulates passage of chyme from stomach to small intestine
The enzyme that breaks down proteins in the stomach is called ___________
Pepsin
Nutrient absorption occurs mainly in the _____________
small intestines
The finger-like structures in the small intestine that increase surface area for absorption are called _____________
villi
The pancreas secretes enzymes that help break down ______________, __________, and __________
carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids
The process of moving food through the esophagus and the rest of the digestive system via muscular contractions is known as ______________
peristalsis
Which part of the digestive system is responsible for the majority of chemical digestion?
Small intestine
What is the primary function of enzymes in the digestive process?
To speed up the breakdown of food molecules
Which nutrient is primarily broken down by bile before absorption?
Fats
The role of an enzyme in a chemical reaction is to
speed up the reaction
In the cell, enzymes act as
catalysts
Compounds that are needed for enzymes to function properly are
vitamins
The area of an enzyme into which a substrate fits is called the
active site
Digestion is defined as the process whereby
food is chemically and physically broken down
Which of the following describes peristalsis?
muscle contractions of the digestive tract
Chewing food aids digestion by
increasing the surface area of the food
The part of the digestive tract where starch first undergoes chemical digestion is the
mouth
Saliva contains an enzyme that partially digests
starch
The role of Sodium bicarbonate ( NaHCO3 ) in pancreatic juice
neutralizes acid chyme
Which of the following is not a function of pancreatic juice?
A. Raising pH
B. Emulsifying
C. Starch digestion
D. Protein digestion
Emulsifying
If sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 ) is not released as part of the pancreatic juice, the pH of the
A. stomach will remain basic
B. pancreas will become acidic
C. large intestine will become basic
D. small intestine will remain acidic
small intestine will remain acidic
The function of the pyloric sphincter is to prevent the backflow of material from the ________________
duodenum to the stomach
A function of the small intestine is to
absorb nutrients
Which of the following is an example of physical/mechanical digestion?
A. Hydrolysis
B. Release of gastrin
C. Churning in the stomach
D. Action of lipase in the small intestine
Churning in the stomach
Structures of the small intestine that aid in the absorption of nutrients include _________
villi
The gall bladder functions to _________
store bile
The absorption of water from the digestive tract occurs mainly in the _______________
colon
The main source of energy for the body’s metabolic processes comes from the breakdown of ________________
carbohydrates
Absorption of most nutrients from the digestive tract occurs in the
small intestine
An example of absorption is the
A. movement of food by peristalsis
B. active transport of glucose into a villus
C. hydrolysis of a peptide into amino acids
D. release of secretin in the presence of HCl
active transport of glucose into a villus
The space at the back of the mouth
Pharynx
produced by the salivary glands to break down starches into sugar
amylase
folds within the stomach that increase the surface area to help break down food
rugae
the results from build-up of bile pigments due to a damaged or non-functioning liver
jaundice
this regulates the passage of food from the esophagus to the stomach
cardiac sphincter
regulates the passage of chyme from the stomach to the duodenum (small intestine)
pyloric sphincter
the order of the portions of the small intestine
duodenum, jejunum, ileum
a pouch-like area between the ileum and the colon
cecum
the end of the large intestine that stores feces
rectum
the order of the portions of the large intestine
ascending, transverse, descending
