The Digestive System Flashcards
What are the 5 main stages in the process of digestion?
Ingestion- food is taken through the mouth
Digestion-the food is broken down into soluble substances.
Absorption- the soluble products are absorbed into the bloodstream and transported around the body.
Assimilation-the soluble products of digestion are taken into the cells where they are used.
Egestion- removal of waste food (defecation)
What is mechanical digestion?
Food is broken up by the teeth and tongue in the mouth and churned in the stomach by muscular movement.
What is chemical digestion?
Food is broken down by enzymes.
NOTE: Every enzyme specific. This means they can only control one reaction.
What does amylase break up?
Starch into simple sugars.
What does protease do?
Breaks down proteins into amino acids.
What does lipase do?
Breaks down fat into fatty acids and glycerol.
Look at diagram of digestive system in books
Do it
What does the it mean by the stomach mechanically digests the food.
The food is digested by the constant muscle contraction.
Why does the stomach release acid and what is the acid called?
It is called hydrochloric acid and it is there to get rid of any bacteria.
What is the process of pushing food along the oesophagus called?
Peristalsis
Where are the enzymes produced?
In the pancreas
What are the villi?
The villi are tiny finger like projections. Each villus has many microvilli to absorb all the nutrients (apart from fibre)
