Digestive System

Question 1

List the four layers of the Alimentary canal.

Answer 1

1. Mucosa
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis
4. Serosa

Question 2

What are the functions of the Mucosa layer?

Answer 2

Produces mucous which aids in the transportation, protection and absorption of nutrients

Question 3

What are the functions of the Submucosa layer?

Answer 3

It transports nutrients and cellular waste.

Question 4

What are the functions of the Muscularis layer?

Answer 4

These two layers works together rhythmically to create peristalsis and segmentation to move food along

Question 5

What are the functions of the Serosa layer?

Answer 5

It secretes a viscous fluid that helps to reduce friction so that our parts can slip/slide past each other

Question 6

Where are the taste buds housed?

Answer 6

They are embedded within the bumps on the tongue’s surface.

Question 7

what flavors do taste buds detect?

Answer 7

Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, and Savory (Umami)

Question 8

What is the significance of these detected tastes in terms of human survival?

Answer 8

Sweet: Energy
Salty: Electrical Body
Sour/ Bitter: Protect against poisons, rotten foods
Savory: Structure and repair

Question 9

What are the functions of the tongue?

Answer 9

Tastes, Food placement, Proper Swallowing.

Question 10

Draw a relationship between the function(s) of the teeth and salivary glands.

Answer 10

Teeth break down food, salivary glands moisten it to allow for easier swallowing.

Question 11

Differentiate between primary and secondary teeth

Answer 11

Primary: First set of teeth, fall out around 6-7 years. There are 20.
Secondary: Permanent set after Primaries fall out, 32 of these.

Question 12

Name and locate the groups of salivary glands.

Answer 12

Parotid: Cheek area on top of Masseter muscle
Submandibular: found at the floor of the mouth
Sublingual: found at the floor of the mouth

Question 13

What are enzymes?

Answer 13

a substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms, regulating the rate at which chemical reactions proceed without itself being altered in the process.

Question 14

why are enzymes important for survival?

Answer 14

In the digestive system, enzymes are utilized to reduce macronutrients into a more absorbable micronutrient

Question 15

What environmental conditions damage or change enzymes?

Answer 15

Enzymes can be denatured with changes in environment:
pH: too much acid or base can change their shape
Temperature: Increases in temperature can destroy enzymes…e.g., high fever

Question 16

When I state that the power of hydrogen is an inverse relationship, what does that mean?

Answer 16

Acidity and alkalinity have an inverse relationship in that they are on complete opposites of their scale.

Question 17

Describe the structure of a sphincter.

Answer 17

Sphincters are ring like structures that close tubes to controls flow they prevent back flow of food and control the emptying of an organ.

Question 18

What are the functions of sphincters and how do they increase survivability?

Answer 18

The muscular structures helped us keep energy, in the form of food, in our digestive system…even if the quality of the food was questionable…. think rancid meat