Digestive System

Question 1

Name the fat-soluble vitamins.

Answer 1

The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K.

Question 2

Differentiate between vitamins and minerals.

Answer 2

Both vitamins and minerals are obtained from your diet, but vitamins are organic while minerals are inorganic.

Question 3

List in order the stages of food processing.

Answer 3

Ingesting, Digesting, Absorbing, and Eliminating (IDAE)

Question 4

Define each of the stages of food processing.

Answer 4

Ingestion: the act of eating
Digesting: the act of breaking down food into manageable particles that can be absorbed
Absorption: during which the cells lining the digestive tract absorb the products of digestion. This occurs primarily in the small intestine, where molecules are further broken down to provide the body with more energy.
Elimination: expulsion of undigested waste

Question 5

Describe the digestion of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.

Answer 5

Because animals cannot directly use the polymers found in food—proteins, fats, and carbs—animals must split the polymers into more manageable monomers that the animals can then use to make the specific polymers they need.

Question 6

Differentiate between the alimentary canal and accessory organs in the digestive system.

Answer 6

The main parts of the alimentary system include the mouth, oral cavity, tongue, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, rectum, and anus,
The accessory organs include the salivary glands, pancreas, and liver, which secrete digestive juices that enter the alimentary canal to further food processing.

Question 7

Name the parts of the alimentary canal in the order in which food passes.

Answer 7

1. Mouth (including the oral cavity and the tongue)
2. Pharynx
3. Esophagus
4. Stomach
5. Small intestine, followed by the large intestine
6. Rectum
7. Anus

Question 8

Define peristalsis.

Answer 8

Peristalsis: the series of rhythmic contractions that push food through the alimentary canal

Question 9

Outline the process of swallowing.

Answer 9

When a bolus of food enters the pharynx, it triggers the swallowing reflex, and the esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow the bolus to pass through into the esophagus.

Question 10

State the two primary roles of the large intestine (colon).

Answer 10

• to absorb water from the alimentary canal

- to convey solid wastes through peristalsis