Digestive system Flashcards
Why do we eat food
Food contains the nutrients that our body requires to carry out cellular activities (respiration)
What are the three main nutrients
Carbohydrates, Fats, Protein
Why do we need the digestive system
To break down large, complex nutrients into small soluble molecules. Only this way can digested food be used by cells to carry out cellualr activities
What are carbohydrases/ Amylase
- Both are enzymes that help quicken the process of breaking down Carbohydrates.
- Carbohydrases are found in the small intestine while Amylase is found in the mouth
- Carbs are broken down into simple sugars
What are lipases
- Lipases are enzymes that quicken the process of breaking down fat
- It is secreted in the small intestine
- Fats are broken down into Glycerol and fatty acids
What are Proteases
- Proteases are enzymes that quicken the process of breaking down protein into polypeptides
- It is secreted in the stomach and small intestine
- Protein is broken down into amino acids
What is Physical digestion
Breaking up bigger pieces to smaller ones
(cutting, chewing, churning)
What is Chemical digestion
breaking down of larger, complex nurtrients into simpler substances (needs respective enzymes)
What is the function of the mouth
- The teeth and jaw muscles cut and crash the food into smaller pieces (physical digestion)
- The saliva secreted in the mouth contains Amylase that partially digests starch and carbohydrates in the mouth
- The saliva also softens the food while the tongue rolls the food into a ball for swallowing.
What is the function of the gullet
- Starch from the mouth continues to be digested by the carbohydrase in the saliva into maltose.
- Muscles in the gullet, push the food down to the stomach
What is the function of the stomach
- The stomach is a highly acidic environment that has hydrochloric acid that kills bacteria in the food (perfect conditions for protease)
- The stomach churns the food to smaller pieces (physical)
- The stomach releases gastric juice that contains proteases to digest proteins into polypeptides
- The stomach has a thick layer of mucus to protect itself from the hydrochloric acid
What is the function of the small Intestine
- Small intestine is the main site for the chemical digestion due to the many enzymes released
- Fats are first digested here due to the presence of lipases in the digestive juices
- simple sugars, amino acids and glycerol and fatty acids are fully digested and absorbed into the bloodstream.
What is bile
- Bile is a substance
- It is secreted in the liver and stored in the gallblader
- it helps emulsify fat gobule into a larger surface area easing the job of lipase
What is the function of the Large intestine
Water and mineral salts from the food is absorbed here into the bloodstream
What is the function of the anus
Faeces is released through this opening
What is the function of the rectum
Indigestible food and waste form faeces and is temporarily stored here before it is released from the body.
What are simple sugars used for
cellular activities to release energy
What are amino acids used for
raw materials used for tissue repair and cell growth
What is Glycerol and fatty acids used for
used to store fats in the body
What is diabetes
A disease in which the level of sugar in the blood is too high causing an insufficient level of insulin (hormone that regulates sugar level in the blood) to be produced.
What is the cause of diabetes
Excess amounts of simple sugars in the body or when the body does not respond properly to insulin
What are the symptoms of diabetics
- The need to urinate excessively
- Unquenchable thirst
- Injuries healing slowly
- Blurred vision
- Unexplained weight loss
- Tingling hands and feet
What is gastric pain
Painful swelling orinflammation of the stomach lining
What is the causes of gastric pain
baceterial/ viral infection, skipping meals, consumption of too much coffee/alchohol/oily food
What are the symptoms of gastric pain
- Upper abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Bloating
What is constipation
When one has constipation, food moves through the large intestine very slowly. This causes too much water to be removed from the faeces causing it to be hard.
What are the causes of constipation
- Stress
- Consuming of certiain medicines
3, not having enough fibre in the diet - Inadequate consumption of water
