Lab 8 - Disgestive System Flashcards
(20 cards)
How many organs are in the digestive system, and what is its approximate length?
A) 8, 15
B) 9, 10
C) 10, 9
D) 12, 10
C) 10, 9
Explanation: The digestive system is made up of 10 organs and spans approximately 9 meters in length, handling food from entry to waste removal.
Which organ is the green arrow pointing to in the digestive diagram showing the curved blue structure under the esophagus?
A) Liver
B) Spleen
C) Pancreas
D) Gall bladder
A) Liver
Explanation: The arrow is pointing to the liver, the large reddish-brown organ in the upper abdomen. It plays a major role in digestion by producing bile, which helps break down fats. The gall bladder, located beneath the liver, stores and releases this bile into the digestive tract.
What is the name of the web-like tissue the arrows point to, which supports the intestines?
A) Bladder
B) Liver
C) Diaphragm
D) Mesentery
D) Mesentery
Explanation: The mesentery is a large, web-like sheet of tissue that holds the intestines in place and carries blood vessels and nerves to them. It was only recently recognized as its own organ.
To which organ is the green arrow pointing?
A) Gall bladder
B) Spleen
C) Liver
D) Pancreas
D) Pancreas
Explanation: The arrow points to the pancreas, a yellowish, elongated organ that lies behind the stomach. It produces digestive enzymes that help break down food in the small intestine and also regulates blood sugar through hormone production.
What two processes begin digestion in the mouth—one mechanical, one chemical?
A) Enzymes, acids
B) Enzymes, stomach
C) Chewing, saliva
D) Saliva, chewing
C) Chewing, saliva
Explanation: Chewing physically breaks food into smaller pieces (mechanical), while saliva contains enzymes like amylase that begin breaking down carbohydrates (chemical).
What action pushes the bolus down the esophagus?
A) Chewing, bolus
B) Swallowing, cells
C) Peristalsis, bolus
D) Chewing, cells
C) Peristalsis, bolus
Explanation: The bolus is the chewed food, and peristalsis is the wave-like muscular movement that propels it through the esophagus to the stomach.
How long does it take for food (the bolus) to turn into chyme in the stomach?
A) 3, liquid
B) 3, chyme
C) 5, liquid
D) 5, chyme
B) 3, chyme
Explanation: It takes about 3 hours for the food bolus to be broken down by stomach acids and enzymes into a semi-liquid substance called chyme.
What is the purpose of the ripples (villi) shown in the small intestine?
A) Create a smaller surface area to increase absorption
B) Create a greater surface area to increase absorption
C) Create a greater surface area to decrease absorption
D) Create a smaller surface area to decrease absorption
B) Create a greater surface area to increase absorption
Explanation: Villi are tiny projections that line the small intestine, dramatically increasing surface area to maximize nutrient absorption.
What is the structure shown by the arrow that is part of the large intestine?
A) Neither of these
B) Large intestine
C) Both of these
D) Colon
C) Both of these
Explanation: The arrow points to the colon, which is a major part of the large intestine. So, both terms are correct.
How long does the complete digestive process usually take?
A) 30–40 hours
B) 40–50 hours
C) 20–30 hours
D) 10–20 hours
A) 30–40 hours
Explanation: From the moment food is eaten to the time it’s expelled as waste, digestion takes about 30 to 40 hours on average in a healthy adult.
What do the animated characters inside the intestines represent?
A) Jokesters
B) Subcutaneous fascia
C) Gut microbiome
D) Intestine
C) Gut microbiome
Explanation: These characters symbolize the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in your gut, collectively known as the gut microbiome. They play key roles in digestion, immunity, and overall health.
Do we fully understand which specific good bacteria a robust gut microbiome needs?
A) No we aren’t
B) None of these
C) This answer is non-applicable
D) Yes we are!
A) No we aren’t
Explanation: Scientists have not yet identified an exact blueprint for which specific bacteria make up a “perfect” gut. While some beneficial strains are known, there’s still much to discover.
Which factors are known to affect our microbiomes?
A) Medications
B) How one was delivered at birth
C) Environment
D) All of these
D) All of these
Explanation: Research shows that medications (especially antibiotics), birth delivery method, and environmental exposures all influence the composition of the gut microbiome.
When bacteria digest fiber, they produce (BLANK).
A) Lipids
B) Short chain fatty acids
C) ATP
D) Carbohydrates
B) Short chain fatty acids
Explanation: Gut bacteria break down fiber into short chain fatty acids like butyrate, acetate, and propionate, which help maintain gut health, reduce inflammation, and protect against disease.
After eating a Western diet for just two weeks, what changes were observed in the rural group in the 2015 study?
A) Increase of inflammation of the colon
B) Both of these
C) Neither of these
D) Decrease of butyrate
B) Both of these
Explanation: In just two weeks, rural Africans who adopted a Western-style diet experienced increased colon inflammation and a drop in butyrate levels — a key anti-inflammatory fatty acid.
Which of these foods are rich in polyphenols and support gut health?
A) Fruits & vegetables
B) Tea & coffee
C) Red wine & dark chocolate
D) All of these
D) All of these
Explanation: All of these foods contain polyphenols, antioxidant compounds that help beneficial gut bacteria flourish and enhance microbial diversity.
Probiotics are a type of?
A) Bad bacteria
B) Both of these
C) Neither of these
D) Good bacteria
D) Good bacteria
Explanation: Probiotics are living beneficial bacteria that support gut health by aiding digestion, enhancing immunity, and balancing harmful microbes.
What types of food contain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria?
A) Pasteurized
B) Fermented
C) Both of these
D) Neither of these
B) Fermented
Explanation: These beneficial bacteria are commonly found in fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha. Pasteurization typically kills them unless re-added later.
Which of these foods contain good bacteria?
A) Kimchi
B) Tempeh
C) Kombucha
D) All of these
D) All of these
Explanation: Kimchi, tempeh, and kombucha are all fermented foods that contain live probiotic cultures that support gut microbial diversity.
We completely understand the inner workings of our digestive system.
A) True
B) False
B) False
Explanation: Despite advances in microbiome science, there is still much to learn about how digestion works on a microbial level, especially how food, bacteria, and host cells interact.
