FUNCTIONS OF DIGESTION

Mouth

Food is ingested and chewed in the mouth.

Teeth

Chews, cuts, and grinds food.

Tongue

Tastes, shapes food into a ball called a bolus, and moves it towards the pharynx.

Epiglottis

To act as a flap in the throat that covers the opening of the larynx during swallowing.

Esophagus

Food travels through the esophagus to get to the stomach.

Gastroesophageal Sphincter

Allows food to enter the stomach from the esophagus.

Stomach

Stores food and breaks it down with acid and enzymes.

Pyloric Sphincter

Leads the food from the stomach to the small intestine.

Small Intestine

The major organ of chemical digestion and nutrient absorption.

Liver

Produces bile, stores extra glucose, and takes out toxins from your blood.

Gallbladder

Stores the bile (greenish color liquid that has enzymes in it).

Pancreas

Creates all the enzymes that go into the small intestine (enzyme factory).

Large Intestine

Absorbs water and compacts the feces.