Unit 1 AOS2 (Digestive + Endocrine) Flashcards
(14 cards)
What are the accessory organs of the digestive system?
Aid in digestion, but doesn’t actually transfer food.
- salivary glands
- pancreas
- liver
- gall bladder
What enzyme is in the mouth
Amylase - breaks down carbohydrates (starches and sugars)
Where does digestion begin
In the mouth
What is the epiglottis
A soft flap of tissue that closes over the windpipe when we swallow, to prevent choking.
What is peristalsis
Waves of muscle contractions that help food move along in the digestive system
What is a sphincter
A muscular ring at the end of the oesophagus that allows food to enter the stomach, and squeezes shut to keep food/fluid from flowing back up.
What does the oesophagus do
Peristalsis forces food down through the oesophagus to the stomach.
What does the stomach do
Stomach muscles churn and mix the food with digestive juices breaking it into smaller digestible pieces.
Stomach has hydrochloric acid.
What digestion occurs in the stomach + what enzyme
Protein digestion occurs in the stomach.
Pepsin enzyme (digests proteins).
What is chyme
A thick liquid that the stomach produces after churning the food. This is released in small amounts into the small intestine.
What are the parts of the small intestine
Duodenum - C-shaped first part (connected to the pancreas)
Jejunum - Coiled midsection
Ileum - final section that leads into the large intestine.
What does the small intestine do
- Absorbs nutrients from food for cells in the body.
- Principal region for digestion of food.
