Digestive system Flashcards

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1
Q

digestion

A

breakdown of food into a form that can be used by an animal. It includes both mechanical digestion and chemical digestion.

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2
Q

mechanical digestion

A

digestion that uses physical factors such as chewing with the teeth

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3
Q

chemical digestion

A

the chemical reactions changing food into simpler substances that are absorbed into the bloodstream for use in other parts of the body

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4
Q

alimentary canal

A

passage from the mouth to the anus. Digestion of food occurs as it moves through the canal.

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5
Q

enzymes

A

special chemicals that speed up reactions but are themselves not used up in the reaction

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6
Q

saliva

A

watery substance in the mouth that moistens food before swallowing

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7
Q

salivary glands

A

glands in the mouth that produce saliva

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8
Q

bolus

A

round, chewed-up ball of food made in the mouth that makes swallowing easier

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9
Q

oesophagus

A

part of the digestive system composed of a tube connecting the mouth with the stomach

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10
Q

peristalsis

A

the process of pushing food along the oesophagus or small intestine by the action of muscles

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11
Q

stomach

A

a large muscular organ that churns and mixes food with gastric juice to start to break down protein

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12
Q

small intestine

A

the part of the digestive system between the stomach and large intestine, where much of the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients takes place

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13
Q

absorption

A

the taking in of a substance, for example from the intestine to the surrounding capillaries

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14
Q

villi

A

tiny finger-like projections from the wall of the intestine that maximise the surface area of the structure to increase the efficiency of nutrient absorption. Singular = villus.

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15
Q

nutrient

A

substances that provide energy and chemicals that living things need to stay alive, grow and reproduce

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16
Q

bile

A

a substance produced by the liver that helps digest fats and oils

17
Q

gall bladder

A

a small organ that stores and concentrates bile within the body

18
Q

lipids

A

type of nutrients that include fats and oils

19
Q

lipases

A

enzymes that break fats and oils down into fatty acids and glycerol

20
Q

amylases

A

an enzyme in saliva that breaks starch down into sugar

21
Q

proteases

A

enzymes that break proteins down into amino acids

22
Q

pancreas

A

a large gland in the body that produces and secretes the hormone insulin and an important digestive fluid containing enzymes

23
Q

colon

A

the part of the large intestine where a food mass passes from the small intestine, and where water and other remaining essential nutrients are absorbed into the body

24
Q

large intestine

A

the penultimate part of the digestive system, where water is absorbed from the waste before it is transported out of the body

25
Q

vitamin D

A

a nutrient that regulates the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream and promotes the healthy growth and remodelling of bone

26
Q

cellulose

A

a natural substance that keeps the cell wall of plants rigid

27
Q

rectum

A

the final section of the digestive system, where waste food matter is stored as faeces before being excreted through the anus

28
Q

anus

A

the final part of the digestive system, through which faeces are passed as waste

29
Q

emulsify

A

combine two liquids that do not normally mix easily