Digestive System

Question 1

What are the 6 different food groups?

Answer 1

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats & oils
4. Vitamins (A,B,C,D and E)
5. Minerals
6. Fibre

Question 2

Why is a balanced diet essential?

Answer 2

There isn’t one type of food that offers us all the essential vitamins and minerals that we need. Also, not all food has the same amount of energy.

Question 3

Why is water so important?

Answer 3

Our body is largely made up of water, therefore it is important that we drink lots of water to replace what is lost through urine and sweat (otherwise we risk becoming dehydrated)

Question 4

What are the important functions of water (4)

Answer 4

1. Our bodies are made up of more than 50% water
2. Helps our blood carry nutrients and waste around the body
3. Helps the chemical reactions that occur in our cells.
4. Forms most of sweat,saliva and tears

Question 5

What is the function of the food group : Proteins?

Answer 5

● Growth
● Building and
repairing body cells and tissues

Question 6

What is the function of the food group : Carbohydrates?

Answer 6

● The main supply of energy

Question 7

What is the function of the food group : Fats & oils?

Answer 7

● Offer us a stored form of
energy
● Provide
insulation
● Protect organs
● Maintains healthy hair and nails

Question 8

What is the function of the food group : Fibre?

Answer 8

● Assists avoid constipation
● Helps move
food through the digestive system

Question 9

What is the function of the food group : Vitamins (A,B,C,D and E)?

Answer 9

Vitamin A = Strengthens your immune system and is good for night vision
Vitamin B = Helps to process energy from food
Vitamin C = Helps to keep skin and gums health.
Vitamin D = Helps to build strong bones and teeth.

Question 10

What is the function of the food group : Minerals?

Answer 10

● Iron = NB for blood
● Calcium = strong bones
and teeth
● Magnesium =
NB for functioning of muscles and nerves
● Sodium regulates the
amount of water in the blood

Question 11

What is the Alimentary canal?

Answer 11

The long tube that leads from the mouth to the anus

Question 12

What is Ingestion?

Answer 12

When food enters the mouth cavity

Question 13

What is digestion (mechanical and chemical)

Answer 13

When complex food molecules are broken down into simpler molecules.

Question 14

What is absorption?

Answer 14

When broken (simple) nutrients diffuse across the intestinal wall into the blood.

Question 15

What is egestion?

Answer 15

When solid waste (faeses) exit through

Question 16

Mechanical digestion

Answer 16

The physical breakdown of large insoluble molecules into simpler soluble molecules (chewing and churning)

Question 17

Chemical digestion

Answer 17

The breakdown of large insoluble molecules into simpler solvable molecules using enzymes. Eg. Enzymes in saliva or in the stomach

Question 18

What are the adaptations of the mouth?

Answer 18

1. Lips - keep food in mouth while chewing
2. Teeth- cut,tears and mashes the food into small pieces; food is bitten off by front teeth.
3. Tongue - moves the food around the mouth while chewing; prepares the food for swallowing
4. Salivary glands and saliva - coats the food in the mouth making it easier to be swallowed. Saliva has enzymes and they start to chemically digest.

Question 19

The … (also referred to as the…) moves food from the mouth to the oesophagus. From here it is transported to the stomach.

Answer 19

throat

pharynx

Question 20

What are the adaptations of oesophagus?

Answer 20

The epiglottis - It covers the trachea and prevents food from accidentally going into the trachea and causing the person to choke.
A special circular muscle - shuts the entrance to the stomach

Question 21

What are the adaptations of oesophagus?

Answer 21

epiglottis - It covers the trachea and prevents food from accidental going into the trachea and causing the person to choke.
pyloric sphincter - shuts the entrance to the stomach which prevents the contents of the stomach from pushing back into the esophagus which may lead to vomiting.

Question 22

What are the adaptations of the oesophagus?

Answer 22

1. epiglottis - It covers the trachea and prevents food from accidental going into the trachea and causing the person to choke.
2. pyloric sphincter - shuts the entrance to the stomach which prevents the contents of the stomach from pushing back into the esophagus which may lead to vomiting.

Question 23

What are the adaptations of the stomach?

Answer 23

1. It has very strong muscles - help churn the food to break it up further and allows pieces of food to mix with the digestive gastric juices.
2. It has many folds and ridges which help to expand the stomach further - increases surface area so more digestion can occur
3. The lining is frequently replaced - prevents the stomach from digesting itself
4. It secretes gastric juices when food is present - helps the functioning of enzymes in the chemical digestion of proteins
5. The lower stomach muscles - control the emptying of the stomach contents.

Question 24

What are the adaptations of the small intestine?

Answer 24

Long and folded - allows the food to be

Question 25

What are the adaptations of the small intestine?

Answer 25

1. Long and folded - creates an even bigger absorption area
2. Inner layer is lined with small finger- like structures called villi - aid absorption &increases area of absorption
3. A large network of capillaries surround it- transports the absorbed food away
4. The muscles which line the small intestine control the direction in which the food flows by peristalsis.

Question 26

What is t happens in the large intestine/colon?

Answer 26

1. Absorbs water and mineral salts and decays the undigested food to form faeces. 2. The undigested waste remains here for up to 24 hours.
2. From here, it is passed into the rectum where it is stored temporarily.
3. Circular muscles in the anus control the emptying of the waste materials. Remember, we call this egestion.