Name
KEY
Digestive System Review Sheet
1. Be able to supply the correct vocabulary word when given the definition.
2. List the three functions of the digestive system:
(1) breaks down food into molecules the body can use
(2) absorbs nutrient molecules into blood to be carried throughout
body
(3) eliminates waste from the body
3. Be able to label the diagram of the digestive system.
4. Know where most mechanical digestion occurs
In the ___stomach____________________.
5. Know where most chemical digestion occurs
In the __duodenum___ which is part of the __small intestine__
6. Know the function of the villi, and be able to explain their role in
delivering nutrients to the body.
The villi are important for increasing the surface area of the small intestine.
Blood vessels run through the center of the villi so that nutrients are able to
pass through the walls of the villus, through the walls of the capillaries, and
into the bloodstream where they are carried to the cells of the body
Name
KEY
7. Know what organs are responsible for the digestion of starch, proteins,
and fats.
[organ name in
this column]
Starch
Protein
Fat

Mouth
Saliva
Pepsin
Stomach
Produces bile
Liver
Pancreas
Makes enzymes
Makes enzymes
Duodenum
Makes enzymes
Broken up
Broken down
Broken down
Broken down
8. Know the order of the organs in the digestive tract, and what each organ
does.
Organ
Teeth and tongue
Function
*Teeth cut (incisors), tear (canines) and grind
(molars)
*Tongue helps in chewing and tasting, and moves
food to the esophagus
Name
KEY
Salivary glands
*Makes saliva that moistens food into one slippery
mass (a bolus)
*Enzymes in saliva begin to break down the starch in
food (the enzyme is amylase)
Epiglottis
* Flap of cartilage that closes over the windpipe
*Prevents food from entering and causing choking
Esophagus
* A muscular tube connecting the mouth to the
stomach
*Peristalsis moves food through the esophagus (takes
5-10 seconds)
Stomach
* most mechanical digestion happens here
* some chemical digestion happens too: pepsin and
hydrochloric acid break down proteins
* soupy mixture of broken up food is called chyme
* sphincter between stomach and duodenum releases
a little chyme at a time into the duodenum
Liver
*Produces bile, breaks down medicine, eliminates
nitrogen
Gallbladder
*stores and concentrates bile ( a substance that breaks
up large fat globules into smaller droplets)
* releases bile into the duodenum through the bile
duct
Name
KEY
Pancreas
* produces enzymes that flow into the duodenum
where they break down fat, starch, and protein
Duodenum
*beginning part of the small intestine
* most chemical digestion happens here
* chyme mixes with bile from the gallbladder and
enzymes from the pancreas
Small Intestine
* most chemical digestion happens here (in the
duodenum)
* nutrient absorption happens here
* nutrients are absorbed through millions of tiny villi
Large Intestine
* water is absorbed into the bloodstream
*bacteria feed on feces (waste), produce vitamins
including Vitamin K
Rectum and Anus
* waste material is compressed into solid form in the
rectum
* waste material is eliminated from the body through
the anus