7th Grade Digestive System

The function of the digestive system is:

1. - breaking down food into very

2. - absorbing the small molecules into our

Another name for the digestive tract is the

Mechanical digestion is the of food. The two types of mechanical digestion in the digestive system are and

are the smooth muscle contractions that occur as the food is passed along the digestive tract.

is the chewing and crushing of food

help break down food into absorbable, simpler nutrients during digestion.

Chemical digestion begins in the mouth when enzymes in begins to break down food .

Carbohydrates, such as bread, rice and potatoes are broken down into

Fats, such as butter are broken down into or

Proteins, such as chicken and fish, are broken down into

The breakdown of food into smaller molecules relies on specialized for each type of energy.

Enzymes which break down carbohydrates are , and

Enzymes which break down proteins are , and

Fats are broken down into fatty acids in the with the enzyme .

In the mouth, your food is or to body temperature.

The teeth and the food into .

The tongue the food to the back of the throat for .

moistens the food and begins to break down .

Once the mouth has digested food, the food is called a .

Incisors are used for and .

Canines are used for and .

Molars and premolars are used for .

There are many nerves in the of your tooth, which is protected by the , or hardest part of your tooth.

The connect the to the esophagus.

The esophagus is a tube made out of that connects the pharynx to the . It is approximately inches long and when empty it is .

The esophagus can push food toward the stomach because of muscle contractions.

acid is produced in the stomach.

Glands in your stomach produce to help protect the stomach from the acid.

is an enzyme that the stomach produces and uses to further digest .

Digested food in the stomach is called .

Most ulcers occur because of a

offer temporary relief from heartburn by using to neutralize stomach acid

The small intestine is meters long.

The small intestine uses enzymes produced on its own, as well as enzymes from the and .

The role of the small intestine is to .

, and are 3 of the basic nutrients.

The first portion of the small intestine that connects to the stomach is called the .

The middle portion of the small intestine is called the .

The final portion that connects to the is called the .

The small intestine performs two types of muscle contractions known as and .

The liver produces which is a greenish-brown fluid that aids in digestion.

Bile breaks down into smaller components is a process known as .

Bile is stored in the .

Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when the liver is or from ongoing diseases or other conditions.

Scar tissue blocks to the liver, which can kill or damage liver .

is an inflammation of the liver that can be caused by a or excessive consumption.

Symptoms of include fatigue, muscle weakness, (swelling), loss of appetite, and lead to problems in other parts of the body.

The pancreas makes about on enzymes daily which are used to break down , and .

A from the pancreas leads to the of the small intestine.

The pancreas makes , a hormone used to regulate blood sugar.

Insulin can regulate the level of glucose in the blood by causing cells in the liver, muscles and adipose tissue to take glucose from the blood and store it as , which is stored in the and for

Insulin converts into .

Type I diabetes is also known as diabetes, the body stops making insulin due to an disease which attacks the cells of the .

Type II diabetes occurs in and is linked to and lack of .

Diet and exercise can treat diabetes as well as

Another name for the colon is the

The colon absorbs and into the .

From the colon, the feces travels to the , and finally the where there are many bundles.

The cecum is a small that connects to the .

In the , muscle waves force the feces out through the .