the digestive system

What is the primary function of the human digestive system?

The human digestive system breaks down food into nutrients that the body can absorb and utilize for energy, growth, and repair.

What are the main organs of the alimentary canal?

The main organs of the alimentary canal (gastrointestinal tract) include the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.

Differentiate between mechanical and chemical digestion.

Mechanical digestion involves the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces (e.g., chewing, stomach churning), while chemical digestion uses enzymes to break down complex molecules into simpler nutrients (e.g., amylase in saliva, pepsin in stomach).

What is the main role of the stomach in digestion?

The stomach's main role is to churn food, mix it with gastric juices (containing hydrochloric acid and pepsin), and begin the chemical digestion of proteins, forming chyme.

Why is the small intestine crucial for nutrient absorption?

The small intestine is crucial because its highly folded inner surface, lined with villi and microvilli, provides a vast surface area for the absorption of most digested nutrients into the bloodstream.

What is the primary function of the human digestive system?

The human digestive system breaks down food into nutrients that the body can absorb and utilize for energy, growth, and repair.

What are the main organs of the alimentary canal?

The main organs of the alimentary canal (gastrointestinal tract) include the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus.

Differentiate between mechanical and chemical digestion.

Mechanical digestion involves the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces (e.g., chewing, stomach churning), while chemical digestion uses enzymes to break down complex molecules into simpler nutrients (e.g., amylase in saliva, pepsin in stomach).

What is the main role of the stomach in digestion?

The stomach's main role is to churn food, mix it with gastric juices (containing hydrochloric acid and pepsin), and begin the chemical digestion of proteins, forming chyme.

Why is the small intestine crucial for nutrient absorption?

The small intestine is crucial because its highly folded inner surface, lined with villi and microvilli, provides a vast surface area for the absorption of most digested nutrients into the bloodstream.

What is the primary role of the duodenum in digestion?

The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine where most chemical digestion occurs, receiving chyme from the stomach and digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver.

What is the main function of the ileum within the small intestine?

The ileum is the final section of the small intestine primarily responsible for absorbing vitamin B12, bile salts, and any remaining nutrients not absorbed in the jejunum.

What are the key digestive functions of the colon (large intestine)?

The colon primarily absorbs water and electrolytes from undigested food matter, compacts the remaining waste into feces, and houses beneficial bacteria that help ferment indigestible carbohydrates.

What is the specific role of the rectum in the digestive process?

The rectum is the final section of the large intestine that stores feces temporarily before defecation, and its distension triggers the urge to defecate.