Digestion and the Digestive System Flashcards
(16 cards)
What are the organs of the human digestive system?
Mouth, (salivary glands), oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, small intestine, large intestine, Gall bladder, appendix, rectum, and anus.
What happens in digestion?
The digestive system converts the food we eat into their simplest forms, like glucose(sugars), amino acids (that make up protein) or fatty acids (that make up fats). The broken-down food is then absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine and the nutrients are carried to each cell in then body!
What is the role of the mouth, salivary glands and oesophagus?
Mouth - mechanically breaks down food by teeth into smaller pieces
Oesophagus - tube that connects mouth and the stomach
Salivary glands - salivary glands mix your saliva with food and saliva contains special enzymes that help digest the starches in your food
What is the role of the liver, gall bladder and pancreas?
Liver - produces bile, which helps digestion of fats/oils
gall bladder - to store bile
Pancreas - create digestive enzymes
What is the role of the stomach, small intestine and the large intestine?
Stomach - contains acid to kill bacteria and break down food
small intestine - absorbs the broken down molecules
Large intestine - indigestible food moves down here and absorbs the water into the blood
What is the role of the appendix, rectum and anus?
Rectum - stores all the faeces (poo)
Anus - where waste leaves the body
Appendix - protect good bacteria in the gut
Why is digestion important?
Digestion is necessary because it is important for breaking down food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth and cell repair. Digestion is important for our daily lives.
Name the substances that carbohydrates, proteins and fats are broken down into?
Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose
Proteins are broken down into amino acids
Fats/Lipids are broken down into fatty acids
What is an enzyme? (Digestive also?)
An enzyme is a substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms, regulating the rate at which chemical reactions proceed without itself being consumed in the process.
Digestive enzymes are proteins that break down larger molecules like fats, proteins and carbs into smaller molecules that are easier to absorb across the small intestine.
Explain the role of enzymes in digestion.
Enzymes play a key role in breaking down the food you eat. They help speed up chemical reactions in the human body too. Enzymes break down large molecules into small molecules in order for digestion to take place in the body.
Describe how increasing the temperature affects how well enzymes work.
Increasing the temperature doesn’t kill enzymes. Enzymes are denatured meaning they lose their shape and form. Enzymes decrease the rate at high temperatures because they become denatured and can no longer function.
Describe the structure of the small intestine (including the villi features (3))?
The villi (one is called a villus) are tiny m finger-shaped structures that increase the surface area. Their wall is one cell thick which ensures the short distance of absorption to happen by diffusion and active transport. They have a network of blood capillaries which transport glucose and amino acids away from small intestine in the blood. Their internal structure called a lacteal transports fatty acids and glycerol away from small intestine in the lymph.
How is the small intestine adapted for absorption?
The small intestine is adapted for absorption for being very thin, having a large surface area and a large blood supply.
What is the role of bacteria in the digestive system and what is the impact of changing the number/type of bacteria present? (enzymes carbs, indigestible, sick. nutritional value waste?)
Bacteria breaks down some substances in food that can pot be digested, such as fibre and some starches and sugars.
Bacteria produces enzymes that digest carbohydrates in plant cell walls. Most of the nutritional value of plant material would be wasted without these bacteria.
If you increase the number of bacteria, more enzymes will be produced and the rate of digestion will increase in non-digestive foods.
It’s the opposite if there is a decrease of bacteria.
However, sometimes too much bacteria can’t be good for you and will make you sick.
What enzymes break up what? (Starch, protein, fat)
Starch is broken down into sugar by amylase
Protein is broken down into amino acids by protease
Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol by lipase
What is the gut microbiota? (Functions?)
The gut microbiota is the largest population of organisms in the human intestine and plays an essential role for the health of humans and animals. Their functions relate to: Metabolism Immune system Education and regulation Protection against pathogen invasion
