THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
What is the digestive system?
What is its main function?
The digestive system is a group
of organs in the body that
extract nutrients from food and
expel undigested waste.
PARTS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
WHAT IS DIGESTION?
Digestion is the
process of breaking
down food into
smaller molecules that
the body can absorb
and use for energy,
growth and repair.
PROCESS OF DIGESTION
STEP 1: MOUTH
The sense of smell triggers
the production of saliva in
the mouth.
Teeth crush the food into
small pieces.
The tongue form a ball
called BOLUS that we
swallow.
STEP 2: OESOPHAGUS
The oesophagus is a tube that
links the throat with the
stomach.
The bolus goes down the
oesophagus into the stomach.
STEP 3: STOMACH
The stomach breaks down the food with
the help of the gastric juices.
STEP 4: SMALL INTESTINE
When the food is dissolved into a liquid, it passes to
the small intestine.
Here this liquid mixes with the bile (produced by the
liver) and the pancreatic juices (produced by the
pancreas). This mixture separates the nutrients from
the food. These nutrients pass to the blood.
STEP 5: LARGE INTESTINE
The waste passes to the
large intestine.
Water is absorved.
The solid waste leaves our
body through the anus.