Digestive System Basics
What are the four major tasks of the digestive system?
Ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination.
What is the process of taking in food called?
Ingestion
What substance in the stomach helps break down proteins?
Pepsin
Where does most nutrient absorption occur?
Small intestine.
Which organ stores bile?
Gallbladder.
What is digestion?
Breaking down food physically and chemically into smaller building blocks.
Which enzyme in saliva begins carbohydrate digestion?
Salivary amylase
What is the name of the semi-liquid food mixture leaving the stomach?
Chyme.
What tiny structures increase the surface area for absorption?
Villi
Which organ produces bile?
Liver.
What is absorption?
The movement of nutrients into the bloodstream for use by cells.
What flap prevents food from entering the trachea?
Epiglottis.
What acid is found in gastric juice?
Hydrochloric acid
What is the main job of the large intestine?
Reabsorbing water.
Which organ produces pancreatic juice?
Pancreas.
What is elimination?
Removing undigested waste from the body.
What wave-like muscle contractions move food through the esophagus? Peristalsis.
Peristalsis
Why doesn't the stomach digest itself?
A protective mucus lining protects it.
Name the three parts of the small intestine.
Duodenum, jejunum, ileum.
What does pancreatic juice help neutralize?
Acidic chyme.