The Digestive System Functions: Takes food into the body Breaks down food Absorbs digested materials

Two types of Digestion: Mechanical digestion: food is physically broken down into smaller pieces. Chemical digestion: chemicals in the body break down the food molecules into smaller molecules. Enzymes help these chemical reactions happen. Even your saliva contains enzymes and begins the process of chemical digestion in the mouth. enzyme at work

Food’s path: mouth esophagus stomach small intestines large intestines rectum anus

Epiglottis: the flap of tissue that covers the windpipe when you swallow

Esophagus: connects the mouth with the stomach. Peristalsis: food goes down the esophagus pushed by the wave motion of involuntary muscles.

Most mechanical digestion occurs in the stomach.

Small intestine: most chemical digestion takes place here and most of the absorption of nutrients too. Liver: this organ secrets bile into the small intestines which helps digest fats.

Pancreas: organ that produces enzymes that help break down nutrients in the small intestines.

Villi: structures in the small intestine that absorb the small nutrient molecules to be used by the body to make energy.

Large intestine: here material that is not absorbed passes to the large intestine then to the rectum and finally eliminated through the anus. Large intestine