DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

The digestive system helps to break down food into simpler substances which is absorbed into the bloodstream
and transported by the circulatory system to all parts of the body for respiration to release energy.

TEETH
chews food which increasing the exposed
breaks down the food surface area for faster
into smaller pieces digestion of food substances

TONGUE
MOUTH rolls the food into
allows food to be swallowed easily
a ball (bolus)
Digestion begins here
SALIVA
contains digestive helps to soften and moisten
juices which has to the food, making it easier to
digest food swallow

GULLET
gullet has muscles
that help to push
No digestion takes place here food down the gullet
to the stomach
food will still be pushed to
your stomach even if you are
lying upside down (do not try
this though)

STOMACH contains digestive juices

Digestion takes place here

contains acid which helps to mix (churns)

Food is stored for a few hours in the stomach
helps to kill bacteria food
before being released into the small intestine
in food

SMALL INTESTINE LARGE INTESTINE

Digestion is complete here Absorption ends here
Absorption begins here
absorption of water and
contains digestive juices mineral salts only
most amount of digestion
takes place here
if the large intestine was not working well,
faeces may become watery as water is
digested food is absorbed into
not absorbed from undigested food
the blood vessels (capillaries)
through the walls of the small many students make the mistake that undigested

intestine * food/waste material is absorbed into the large intestine

numerous folds called villi which

waste material travels to the anus
helps to increase the exposed
where it is passed out of the body
surface area for faster absorption
The walls of of digested food
the small intestine

if part of the small intestine is removed, it may

lead to malnutrition since the small intestine is
responsible for the absorption of digested food
ANUS
Where waste material is passed out
of the body
Less oxygen: Some oxygen is used in the
Blood passes
process of respiration to release energy
* through the
small intestine
More digested food