human digestive system Flashcards
why must most food be digested
- to breakdown food into small and soluble molecules
- can be absorbed into the blood quickly
- can be transported to other parts of the body/ used for various purposes
what is the sequence of the digestive system
- mouth
- gullet
- stomach
- small intestine
- large intestine
- rectum
- anus
what do we not need to digest
Some substances in food, for example glucose (simple sugar) in fruit, are already soluble and small, and so can be absorbed into the wall of the intestine without being digested.
what are things that we cannot digest (indigestable)
- cellulose(cell wall of plant cells, supplies fibre) remains undigested in the human alimentary canal.
- We don’t have the enzymes to digest fibre
what are the types of digestion
(2 types)
- chemical
- physical
what are enzymes
- Biological molecules produced by cells of the digestive system
- Specific to a particular substance
what are the different types of enzymes
(3 types)
- Carbohydrase
- Protease
- Lipase
what is carbohydrase
an enzyme that digests carbohydrates
what is the end product of carbohydrates
after being digested by carbohyrase
simple sugars
what is protease
an enzymes that digests proteins
what is the end product of proteins
after being digested by protease
amino acids
what is lipase
an enzyme that digests lipids / fats
what is the end product of lipids
after being digested by lipase
fatty acid and glycerol
why is it important to break down food physically
increase surface area for enzyme action
what types of digestive happens in the mouth
- chemical
- physical
what is the chemical digestion that happens in the mouth
saliva contains enzymes that digest carbohydrates
what is the physical digestion that happens in the mouth
teeth: breaks food down into smaller, simpler, soluble
what digestion happens in the gullet/esophagus
no digestion(technically) but the enzymes from the mouth are still digesting carbohydrates
what does the gullet/esophagus do
When the ball of food is swallowed, it travels along a short, narrow muscular tube (gullet) which is connected to the stomach.
what digestion happens in the stomach
- physical
- chemical
what is the physical digestion that happens in the stomach
the muscular walls of the stomach continue physical digestion through the churning action.
what is the chemical digestion that happens in the stomach
The walls of the stomach secrete gastric juices, which contains a mixture of hydrochloric acid and protease (an enzyme that digests proteins).
what does the hydrochloric acid in the stomach do
- lowers the pH in the stomach
- kills bacteria and micro-organisms which might be present in our food.
what does the the mucus layer in the stomach do
protects stomach tissues from the hydrochloric acid and enzymes
where are the muscles in the stomach located at
start and end (both ends of the stomach)
why are there muscles at the ends of your stomach
control the entry and leaving of food into the stomach
what digestion happens in the small intestine
chemical
what is the chemical digestion that happens in the small intestine
produces digestive juices that contain all enzymes that digest carbohydrates, protein and fats