Digestive System Flashcards
What is mechanical digestion?
The physical break down of food to increase surface area.
What is chemical digestion?
The breakdown of complex molecules into smaller and simpler versions.
What breaks down starch glycogen in chemical digestion?
Salivary amylase
Which three parts of the digestive system use mechanical digestion?
Mouth, stomach and small intestines
What breaks down proteins in the stomach?
Pepsin
What is the purpose of the digestive system?
Turn external nutrition into nutrition for the body/cells.
What is absorption?
The transfer of nutrients from alimentary canal into capillaries from small and large intestine.
How does the oesophagus lubricate itself?
Epithelial cells create mucus which lubricate and help food be digested easier.
What is the alimentary canal?
Canal which runs from the mouth to anus.
How many layers of muscle does the oesophagus?
2
What is elimination?
Gets rid of waste from body.
What is excretion?
Metabolic waste
