The Digestive System and Body Metabolism Flashcards
what is digestion?
the breakdown of ingested food and the absorption of nutrients into the blood
what are the two main groups of the digestive system?
the alimentary canal and the accessory digestive organs
what is the alimentary canal?
a continuous coiled hollow tube composed of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and the anus
what protects the anterior opening of the oral cavity?
the lips (labia)
what forms the lateral walls of the oral cavity?
the cheeks
what forms the anterior roof?
the hard palate
what forms the posterior roof?
the soft palate
what is the fleshy projection of the soft palate?
the uvula
what is the space between the lips externally and the teeth and gums internally?
the vestibule
what is the figure attached at the hyoid and styloid processes of the skull and the lingual frenulum?
the tongue
what are the lymph nodes in the back of the mouth and top of the throat?
the tonsils
tonsil functions
help filter out bacteria and other germs to prevent infections
palatine (faucial) tonsils
located in the lateral oropharynx, what we think of when we hear ‘tonsils’
lingual tonsil
located/attached to the posterior part of the surface, near the opening of the oral cavity into the pharynx
lingual tonsil
located/attached to the posterior part of the surface, near the opening of the oral cavity into the pharynx
what is mastication?
the process of chewing food
what is bolus?
the mixture of chewed food and saliva
what is the pharynx?
aka the throat; the hollow tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus; part of both the respiratory and digestive systems
nasopharynx
(naso: referring to the nose, pharynx: airway) not a part of the digestive system; upper part of the throat behind the nose, which connects the nasal passages to the rest of your respiratory system
oropharynx
(oro: referring to oral cavity; pharynx: airway) posterior to the oral cavity; connects the mouth to the esophagus and trachea to allow food, fluid, and air to pass through
laryngopharynx
(laryn: voice box; pharynx: airway) aka the hypopharynx (hypo-: lower); regulates passage of air to the lungs and food to the esophagus
what is the function of the pharynx?
serves as a passageway for air and food
how is food propelled to the esophagus?
by the workings of two muscle layers: longitudinal inner layer and the circular outer layer; food movement is by peristalsis
what is peristalsis?
food movement by alternating contractions of the two muscle layers
what is the esophagus?
food passageway; runs from the pharynx to the stomach through the diaphragm; conducts food by peristalsis
what is the stomach?
digesting site in the gastrointestinal tract, located on the left side of the abdominal cavity, and where food enters at the cardioesphageal sphincter
what is the cardiac region of the stomach?r
stomach region near the heart
what is the fundus of the stomach?
the rounded section next to the cardia, below the diaphragm; collects digestive gases
what is the body of the stomach?
largest section of the stomach; holds food and gastric acid until it is ready to send it to your small intestine
what is the pylorus?
part of the stomach that connects to the duodenum (first part of the small intestine); a valve that opens and closes during digestion called the pyloric sphincter