digestion terms

Question 1

gastrointestinal (gi) tract

Answer 1

30 feet (9 meters) long continuous tube and the cells lining it function for 3-5 days, then shed into the lumen

Question 2

digestive process

Answer 2

a multistep process of breaking down foods into absorbable components using mechanical and chemical means in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract

Question 3

lumen

Answer 3

interior of the intestinal tract

Question 4

mechanical digestion

Answer 4

chops us food, grinding/mixing of food, and movement of food through the system

Question 5

chemical digestion

Answer 5

breakdown of food into absorbable nutrients

Question 6

peristalsis

Answer 6

coordinated contractions of circular and longitudinal muscles propelling food (bolus) forward from the esophagus through the large intestine

Question 7

bolus

Answer 7

food that has been chewed and mixed in the mouth with saliva (food mass)

Question 8

segmentation

Answer 8

contraction of circular smooth muscle causing a sloshing motion

Question 9

pendular movement

Answer 9

a constructive wave that involves both forward and reverse movements of chyme enhances nutrient absorption in small intestine

Question 10

chyme

Answer 10

a semiliquid substance containing digestive secretions with the original food

Question 11

gut microbiome

Answer 11

trillions of microbes, such as bacteria, that live in the human gut

Question 12

probiotics

Answer 12

contain live organisms and contribute to gut health by adding specific strains of bacteria directly to the population of healthy microbes in the gut

Question 13

prebiotics

Answer 13

plant fibers acting like fertilizers that stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut

Question 14

saliva

Answer 14

products of mastication are mixed with saliva which contains water, electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes

Question 15

mucus

Answer 15

lubrication and protects stomach lining from damage

Question 16

pharynx

Answer 16

4 inch muscular tube, directs air from nose and mouth down to your larynx, which moves air to your trachea and lungs

Question 17

epiglottis

Answer 17

closes off trachea during swallowing to prevent food from lodging in the windpipe

Question 18

esophagus

Answer 18

upper esophagus contains skeletal muscle and is under voluntary control (somatic nervous system), lower esophagus contains smooth muscle and is under involuntary control (autonomic and enteric nervous system)

Question 19

gastroesophageal sphincter (lower esophageal sphincter (les))

Answer 19

bottom of esophagus narrows and relaxes to allow food into stomach