Grade Eight - The Human Digestive System

Grade Eight - The Human Digestive System

1. human Digestive system

2. Digestive system It is responsible for breaking down the food mechanically and chemically to convert complex molecules into the simplest units, a fraction of which is made up of nutrients that the body’s cells can absorb.

3. There are two (2) types of digestion: Mechanical Digestion - food is chewed and broken down into smaller pieces for easier digestion. Chemical Digestion - this is carried out by enzyme (amylase) molecules that speed up the chemical digestion of carbohydrates.

4. mouth The tongue mixes the foods, and the teeth break down the foods into small pieces and the saliva secreted by the salivary glands soften the food.

5. pharynx It connects the nasal and oral cavities of the body. After chewing the food, it transports the food from the mouth to the esophagus.

6. esophagus It is a muscular tube that is approximately 10 inches in length. It serves as a passageway of food to the stomach.

7. stomach The stomach is made up of muscles that churn and help to mix and to break food into even smaller pieces . Stomach juices are chemicals produce by the stomach that helps digestion.

8. pancreas The pancreas secretes pancreatic juice which breaks down fats, carbohydrates, and protein. It also releases insulin into the blood that regulates the use of sugar in your body.

9. liver It produces bile that helps to break fats into smaller ones. This bile is stored in the gallbladder and it releases bile when food moves into the intestine.

10. Large and small intestines The large intestine connects the small intestine to the anus. Waste food or substances that need to be removed from the body are stored here. It also changed waste into semi-solid (feces)

11. anus It is the way of the semi-solid waste or feces out of the body.

12. Digestion process

13. T he first process of digestion is called… Ingestion - starts when food is taken into the mouth. – Then the food passes through the esophagus. Muscle contractions in the esophagus help move the food down to the stomach. This process is called peristalsis .

14. T he second process of digestion is called… Absorption and Assimilation – During absorption and assimilation , these nutrients pass through the walls of the intestine and into the bloodstream, where they get transported to the different parts of the body. It helps in cell growth and development and new cell production. Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats and Lipids

15. T he third process of digestion is called… Excretion - The undigested parts of food or those that were not absorbed by the body moves to the large intestine as it also changes the undigested food into semi-solid waste or feces which leave the body through the anus.

16. You can help your digestive system by drinking water and practicing a balanced diet by choosing nutritious foods that support your digestive system over harmful foods that might harm your overall health.