Digestive system

Digestive system : 

Digestive system March 2010

What does the digestive system do? : 

What does the digestive system do? The primary function of the digestive system is to break down the food we eat into smaller parts so the body can use them to build and nourish cells and provide energy.

Parts of the digestive system : 

Parts of the digestive system Mouth (including teeth, palate, tongue, salivary glands) Pharynx Esophagus Stomach Small intestine Liver and gallbladder Pancreas Large intestine (including colon, rectum, anus)

Let’s look at the study guide : 

Let’s look at the study guide Look at question number 6. Which of those parts does not belong? Did you guess phalanges? Then you’re right!

Starting at the top : 

Starting at the top The teeth begin the digestive process and three pairs of salivary glands secrete about one liter of saliva every day. These glands open into the mouth (oral cavity) to begin the breakdown of carbohydrates. Where do you see that on your study guide?

A multi-tasking part : 

A multi-tasking part The pharynx is a tube-like structure that is part of the respiratory and the digestive system. Air passes through the pharynx on its way to the lungs, and food passes through on its way to the stomach.

Peristalsis : 

Peristalsis Rhythmic muscular waves which move food through the digestive tract. I believe that’s number 8.

Not a snuffle-up-a-gus : 

Not a snuffle-up-a-gus The ESOPHAGUS is the muscular, mucus lined tube connecting the pharynx to stomach. GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, occurs when there is a backflow of acidic contents of the stomach into the esophagus. Note: you should have questions 3 and 7 answered now!

as the stomach turns : 

as the stomach turns The stomach is a muscular pouch that expands after a large meal and contains microscopic glands that secrete gastric juice and hydrochloric acid for digestion. It’s one of the strongest parts of the body! That’s number… 4

More about the stomach : 

More about the stomach The stomach can be divided into 3 parts: the fundus, the body, and the pylorus. The pyloric sphincter is the muscle that closes the opening of the pylorus to retain food for digestion. Note: you should have questions 9 and 15 answered now!

The small intestine : 

The small intestine After food leaves the stomach it goes into the small intestine which is lined with small finger-like folds called villi. This is where nutrients get into the bloodstream. The small intestine is divided into 3 parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, & the ileum. These are the answers for #16.

Liver and gallbladder : 

Liver and gallbladder The liver & gallbladder make up the biliary system, which is a sub-system of the digestive system. The liver produces bile, which breaks down globules of fat into smaller particles to increase the surface area for digestion. This is called “emulsification.” Bile is stored in the gallbladder until a hormone causes bile to be released into the small intestine. These are the answers for #2 & 10.

The pancreas : 

The pancreas You probably saw the pancreas there too…we talked a lot about it when we were studying the endocrine system. What do you remember about the pancreas?

The colon – it’s not just for punctuation anymore : 

The colon – it’s not just for punctuation anymore The large intestine, or the colon, isn’t as long as the small intestine, but it’s larger in diameter. It is the lower, end portion of the digestive tract. It is divided into four sections: the ascending, the transverse, the descending, and the sigmoid colon Undigested & unabsorbed food material enters the large intestine from the small intestine. These waste products exit the body through the rectum. You should have number 1 & number 17 now.

metabolism : 

metabolism is the process of using food molecules as energy sources and as building blocks for our own molecules. What number is this?

Hi, Carbs. : 

Hi, Carbs. Carbohydrates are the preferred energy food for the body. The larger carbohydrate molecules are composed of smaller “building blocks,” primarily glucose. Other energy foods the body uses are fats and proteins. Isn’t this number 12 on your sheet?

Vitamins & minerals : 

Vitamins & minerals Vitamins are ORGANIC molecules needed in small quantities for normal metabolism throughout the body. Most of these are not made by the body so we need to get them from food. Minerals are INORGANIC elements or salts found naturally in the earth. Some of these include sodium & calcium. #13 & #14

I believe there’s one answer left… : 

I believe there’s one answer left… Actually I have two cats AND a dog. This is to see if you’re paying attention! The black cat is Atticus. The yellow one is Sonny. The dog is Bonnie.