Digestive System

• Digestive system


  Breaks down food into tiny particles which are absorbed into the blood. These particles provide energy for the body to grow, repair itself and remain healthy. Food that cannot be broken down is released from the body as faeces (poo).
• Digestion


  1. Mechanical digestion (food is broken down by teeth)

  2. Chemical digestion (enzymes digest food into nutrients)
• Bile


  Produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Released into the small intestine to break down large molecules of lipids into smaller ones. This is called emulsification and increases the surface area for enzymes to act upon.
• Peristalsis

  The rhythmical contraction of muscles lining the oesophagus, and small and large intestines to squeeze food through them.
• Intestines


  • Have lots of tiny folds which create a large surface area for absorbing nutrients and water
  • In the small intestine there are also specialised structures called villi which have a tiny hair-like structure poking into the small intestine to absorb digested food
• If we stretched out all the folds in the small intestine this would be the area of a tennis court
• Parts of the digestive system in order of food travel


  • Mouth
  • Oesophagus
  • Stomach
  • Small intestine
  • Large intestine
  • Rectum
  • Anus
• Mouth


  Mechanical and chemical digestion starts here
• Oesophagus


  Connects your mouth to your stomach
• Stomach


  A muscular bag that mixes food and drink with acid
• Small intestine


  Where nutrients are absorbed into your blood
• Large intestine


  Where food that cannot be digested passes into before becoming poo
• Rectum


  Faeces is stored here
• Anus


  The opening at the end of the digestive system; faeces pass out of the body here
• Digestive system


  Breaks down food into tiny particles which are absorbed into the blood. These particles provide energy for the body to grow, repair itself and remain healthy. Food that cannot be broken down is released from the body as faeces (poo).
• Digestion


  1. Mechanical digestion (food is broken down by teeth)

  2. Chemical digestion (enzymes digest food into nutrients)
• Bile


  Produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Released into the small intestine to break down large molecules of lipids into smaller ones. This is called emulsification and increases the surface area for enzymes to act upon.
• Peristalsis


  The rhythmical contraction of muscles lining the oesophagus, and small and large intestines to squeeze food through them.
• Intestines


  • Have lots of tiny folds which create a large surface area for absorbing nutrients and water
  • In the small intestine there are also specialised structures called villi which have a tiny hair-like structure poking into the small intestine to absorb digested food
• If we stretched out all the folds in the small intestine this would be the area of a tennis court
• Parts of the digestive system in order of food travel


  • Mouth
  • Oesophagus
  • Stomach
  • Small intestine
  • Large intestine
  • Rectum
  • Anus
• Mouth


  Mechanical and chemical digestion starts here
• Oesophagus


  Connects your mouth to your stomach
• Stomach


  A muscular bag that mixes food and drink with acid
• Small intestine


  Where nutrients are absorbed into your blood
• Large intestine


  Where food that cannot be digested passes into before becoming poo
• Rectum


  Faeces is stored here
• Anus


  The opening at the end of the digestive system; faeces pass out of the body here