
Organ system
that takes in
food, digests it,
and excretes
remaining waste

Long tube with two openings that is
composed of:







Mouth
Esophagus
Stomach
Small Intestine
Large Intestine
Rectum
Anus

Not part of the digestive tract, but
aid in digestion
 Liver
 Gallbladder
 Pancreas

Mechanical Digestion:
 Physical breakdown of food

Chemical Digestion:
 Break down of food using enzymes
(biological catalysts)


Begins the process
of breaking down
food
Mechanical
Digestion:
 Uses teeth and
tongue

Chemical
Digestion:
 Uses enzymes


Provides water and enzymes
(amylase) to chemically break down
and moisten food
Produced by epithelial tissue that
lines the mouth

Tiny flap-like
structure that
covers the
trachea during
swallowing to
prevent food
from entering
the respiratory
system



Muscular tube connecting the mouth
to the stomach
Food moves through the esophagus
involuntarily
Peristalsis:
 Muscle contractions that moves food
through the esophagus


Holds food and
churns it to
continue digestion
Stomach lining
produces digestive
enzymes, acid and
mucous
(protective layer
from stomach
acid)


6 m long and narrow
Site of most digestion and
absorption of nutrients


Small intestines
contain fingerlike projections
called villi.
Villi increase the
surface area so
there is more
area for the
absorption of
nutrients.



1.5 m long
Absorbs water from indigestible food
Remaining solid waste is excreted as
feces from the anus

Liver:
 Produces bile
 Bile: helps to
mechanically break
down fats in our
food

Gallbladder:
 Stores bile produced by the liver

Pancreas:
 Releases
enzymes into the
small intestine
that aid in
digestion
 Produces
insulin which
helps to regulate
our blood
glucose levels