Digestive System Flashcards
What is the main function of the mouth?
Opening to the digestive system
What is the main function of the salivary glands?
To moisten the food so it is easier to swallow.
What is the main function of the oesophagus?
Long muscular tube that directs the food to the stomach by muscular contractions known as peristalsis.
What is the main function of the stomach
Is a large muscular organ that churns, mixes and stores the food and releases enzymes to start the breakdown of protein
What is the main function of the pancreas
Produces chemicals that are used in the small intestine and reduces the effect of stomach acids on the small intestine
What is the main function of the liver
Produces bile which breaks down fat into the small intestine and breaks down toxins in the blood.
What is the main function of the small intestine
6m long, coiled tube that is the main organ of digestion. Breakdown of fat occurs and breakdown of starch and protein is completed and food particles are absorbed through the walls of the villi and into the bloodstream.
What is the main function of the large intestine
Undigested food and water pass into the large intestine and water, vitamins and minerals are absorbed and passed into the bloodstream
what is the difference between chemical and mechanical digestion
Mechanical digestion is when food is broken down physically into smaller pieces and chemical digestion is when food is broken down through chemical means and chemical reactions.
What is the role of enzymes in digestion
Enzymes speed up the a chemical reaction that breaks down the food particle.
How long is the small intestine
6m
Describe cellular respiration
Cellular respiration is a process that occurs in plant and animal cells that involves the conversion of glucose and oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy, stored in a special large compound called ATP.
