digestive system Flashcards
Oral cavity
The mouth. Site of ingestion.
Teeth
break down food into smaller peices
tongue
Helps turn the food into a bolus and assists in the swallowing process.
Salivary glands
secrete saliva which helps with mechanical and chemical digestion
Epiglottis
a flap of tissue that covers the trachea during swallowing
oesophagus
Tube that pushes food down into the stomach using waves of muscular contraction (peristalsis).
Stomach
Stores food.
A muscular organ that contracts and mechanically breaks down food.
Also the site of chemical digestion.
Large intestine
Site of water and vitamin/mineral absorption.
Liquid matter turns in solid faeces.
Small intestine
Site of nutrient absorption.
rectum
Storage of faeces.
anus
Anus opens and faeces leave the body during defecation.
Pancreas
Secretes enzymes to assist with digestion.
liver
Secretes enzymes to assist with digestion.
ingestion
The processing of eating food.
Teeth crush the food and break it into smaller pieces.
The food mixes in with saliva and becomes a ball called the bolus.
Swallowing- the tongue pushes the bolus into the throat.
Mechanical digestion
Mouth: the teeth and tongue crush and grind food.
Oesophagus: peristalsis pushes the food down and crushes the food on the way.
Stomach: the muscles contract and churn the food into a liquid.
Small Intestine: muscular walls contract and continue to liquefy the contents.
Chemical digestion
Food is broken down into new chemical components.
Mouth: saliva from the salivary glands.
Stomach: stomach acid and enzymes.
Small Intestine: pancreatic juice and enzymes.
absorption
Nutrients (glucose, protein and fat) are absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of the small intestine.
defecation
Any leftover waste products not absorbed by the body are stored in the rectum.
They are then excreted out of the body via the anus.
This process is called defecation.
