Mouth to Esophagus -- Digestive System

Cell

Basic building block of living things.

Tissue

A group of cells that work together to perform a job.

Organ

A group of tissues that work together to perform a specific function.

Body System

A group of organs that work together to perform a specific function.

Ingestion

The process of eating.

Digestion

The process of breaking down foods.

Absorption

The process of the body absorbing nutrients from the digestive tract into the blood stream.

Excretion

The process of releasing waste from the digestive system.

Bolus

A mashed up ball of food in your mouth, ready for swallowing.

Esophagus

The tube connecting your mouth to your stomach.

Epiglottis

Covers the opening to the trachea when you swallow to prevent food from entering the trachea (leading to your lungs).

Peristalsis

Series of muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.

Mechanical digestion

Breaking down food by teeth, tongue, saliva, and peristalsis.

Chemical digestion

Breaking down molecules in food using enzymes.

Carbohydrates

Cells' preferred energy source, found in foods like bread and fruits.

Sugar

Simple carbohydrate needed for cells for energy.

Starch

Complex carbohydrate made up of a chain of sugar molecules. The body needs to break these down into sugars.

Benedict’s Solution

Chemical indicator that tests for the presence of sugar.

Lugol’s Solution

Chemical indicator that tests for the presence of starch.

Enzyme

A molecule that breaks down other molecules in food.

Salivary amylase

An enzyme that breaks down starch into sugars, present in saliva.

What is the order of organs in the digestive system, starting with the mouth?

Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum.

Longest organ in the digestive system:

Small intestine