Absorption
The process by which nutrient molecules pass through the wall of the digestive system into the blood
Bile
A substance produced by the liver that breaks up fat particles.
Chyme
Partially digested, semiliquid food mixed with digestive enzymes and acids in the stomach.
Enzyme
A type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing
gastric juices
Secretions from the stomach lining that contain hydrochloric acid and pepsin, an enzyme that digests protein.
Macronutrients
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
Bolus
A term used to describe food after it has been chewed and mixed with saliva
metablism
sum of all chemical reactions in an organism
Mastication
the process of chewing
Peristalsis
Involuntary waves of muscle contraction that keep food moving along in one direction through the digestive system.
Villi
Fingerlike extensions of the intestinal mucosa that increase the surface area for absorption
gastrointestinal tract
the structures of the digestive system
feces
solid wastes; stool