The alimentary canal Flashcards
Ingestion
The taking in of substances , e.g. food and drink , into the body through the mouth
Mechanical digestion
The breakdown of food into smaller pieces without chemical change to the food molecules
Chemical digestion
The breakdown of large, insoluble molecules into small ,soluble molecules
Absorption
The movement of small food molecules and ions through the wall of the intestine into the blood
Assimilation
The movement of digested food molecules into the cells of the body where they are used, becoming part of the cells
Egestion
The passing out of food that has not been digested or absorbed, as faeces, through the anus
Diarrhoea
The loss of watery faeces
How is diarrhoea treated?
Oral rehydration therapy
What causes cholera?
A bacterium - Vibrio cholerae
Symptoms of cholera
Diarrhoea, dehydration, lethargy , nausea, vomiting
The cholera bacterium produces a toxin. What does this cause?
The secretion of chloride ions into the small intestine, causing the osmotic movement of water into the gut
What three things happen as a result of the cholera bacterium?
Diarrhoea , dehydration, loss of salts from the blood
How are more severe cases of cholera treated?
Intravenous fluids
