Digestive System

Mouth

• Mechanical digestion: Teeth and tongue break food into smaller pieces.

• Chemical digestion: Saliva adds enzymes to start breaking down food.

Esophagus

• Smooth muscle pushes food down to the stomach using a process called peristalsis.

Stomach

• Mechanical digestion: Food is churned through peristalsis.

• Chemical digestion: Hydrochloric acid and enzymes break food down further.

Small Intestine

• Smooth muscle and peristalsis move food along.

• Villi (tiny structures) absorb nutrients into the blood.

• Enzymes allow further chemical digestion.

Large Intestine

• Mechanical digestion: Peristalsis moves waste along.

• Water is reabsorbed into the body.

Rectum and Anus

• Rectum: Stores solid waste until it’s ready to be released.

• Anus: Releases waste using mechanical peristalsis.

Peristalsis: Muscle contractions that move food through the digestive system.

Enzymes: Chemicals that help break down food.

Villi: Tiny structures in the small intestine that absorb nutrients.