digestion
the process by which an organism breaks down its food into small units which can be absorbed by the organism
tongue
moves the food around in the mouth to form a bolus
bolus
a soft lump of food
salivary glands
produce saliva
saliva
begins chemical digestion, and keeps food moist
soft palate
when swallowing, this rises to seal off the passageway to your nose to prevent food or fluids from entering.
epiglottis
when swallowing, this lowers to seal off your larynx to prevent food or fluids from entering.
larynx
the beginning of the passageway to the trachea and then to the lungs; you can feel it rise as you swallow.
trachea
the passageway to the lungs (also called the windpipe)
lungs
the lobes on either side of your chest that are for breathing
pharynx
squeezes food so that it moves into the esophagus; it is the area that is the back of the throat
esophagus
contracts in "waves" to push the bolus down into the stomach
stomach
produces digestive juices that turn the bolus into chyme
liver
produces bile (which breaks down fats)
gall bladder
stores bile in a concentrated form until needed - when the food passes from the stomach into the beginning of the small intestine
pancreas
produces digestive juices as well as sodium bicarbonate (a base) that neutralizes the stomach acid that is in chyme; these are released into the beginning of the small intestine
small intestine
where most of the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream occurs.
appendix
a small worm-shaped tube that branches off the large intestine at its opening. Its function is not yet known.
large intestine
absorbs water from the undigested food, turning it into more solid feces;
feces
waste material that the small intestine was unable to digest
rectum
stores feces until time for expulsion
anus
location of expulsion
vitamin
a chemical substance essential for the normal working of the human body
fat-soluble vitamins
Vitamins A, D, E, K; these can build up to toxic levels if you take in too many; vitamin D can also be absorbed through exposure from sunlight
Vitamin K
a by-product of good bacteria in the large intestine, and is one of the two vitamins that can be absorbed without being eaten in food.
water-soluble vitamins
C vitamins, B group vitamins (the B group includes pantothenic acid, as well as two vitamins that are a by-product of good bacteria: biotin and folic acid)