Digestive Vocabulary
Mechanical Digestion-
when foods are physically broken down into
smaller pieces (physical change)
Chemical Digestion-
chemicals produced by the body break foods into
their smaller chemical building blocks/ molecules
(chemical change)
Absorption-
process by which nutrients pass through the walls of the
digestive system and enter the blood stream
Saliva-
fluid produced in the salivary gland and released in the mouth
to aid in digestion
Enzyme-
proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body
Epiglottis- flap of tissue that blocks the trachea, stopping food from
entering the lungs
Esophagus- muscular tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach
Peristalsis- involuntary waves of muscle contractions that pushes food
through the digestive system
Stomach-
the j-shaped pouch that is made of smooth muscle; mostly
mechanical digestion and some chemical digestion
Liver-
largest organ in the body; produces bile, breaks down medicine,
filters toxins, and regulates blood sugar level
Bile-
substance produced by the liver that breaks up fat particles into
smaller pieces (mechanical digestion)
Gall BladderPancreas-
stores bile and releases it into the small intestine
produces enzymes that are released into the s. intestine that
break down fat, starch, and protein; makes insulin
Villus (villi)-
located on surface lining of small intestine; responsible
for absorption
Large Intestine-
where water is absorbed into the bloodstream; bacteria
lives here and produces vitamin K and gas
Rectum-
tube where wastes are stored
Anus-
the opening where waste is eliminated from the body
Teeth-
rip, tear, crush food in the mouth; mechanical digestion
TongueDuodenum-
muscle in the mouth that aids in chewing and swallowing
first part of the small intestine where bile, from the gall
bladder, and enzymes, from the pancreas, enter