Overview and Functions of the Digestive System

1. (1 mark) True or false? The organs of digestion are located within a tube called the
gastrointestinal tract.
☒ True
☐ False

2. Which of the following are functions of the Digestive System? Check all that apply.
(1 mark)
☒ Breaking down food both physically and chemically
☒ Absorbing nutrients into the bloodstream
☒ Housing symbiotic bacteria or normal flora
☒ Producing intrinsic factor

Tissues of the Digestive System

3. (1 mark) The “pipes” or walls within the digestive system are made of many layers.
The layer(s) that contain(s) blood and lymphatic vessels is called the:
☐ lumen
☐ mucosa
☒ submucosa
☐ muscularis

4. (1 mark) True or false? The epithelial layer in the mucosa of the small intestine is
comprised of columnar cells with microvilli to assist with absorption.
☒ True
☐ False

5. (1 mark) True or false? The muscularis layer is comprised of 3 layers of smooth

muscle.
☐ True
☒ False

6. (1 mark) True or false? Peristalsis is the movement of food substance along the
digestive tract due to muscle contraction.
☒ True
☐ False

Pre-Health Biology
Accessory Glands
7. (1 mark) Which of the following are accessory glands that contribute to food digestion?
Select one option.
☐ Stomach
☐ Liver
☐ Pancreas
☒ Both the liver and the pancreas

8. (1 mark) True or false? The salivary glands release enzymes which start the chemical
digestion process.
☒ True
☐ False

9. (1 mark) True or false? The pancreas releases its digestive enzymes into the
duodenum.
☐ True
☒ False

Enzymes
10. (10 marks) Complete the chart by filling in the specific digestive enzyme released at
each point as well as the end product of digestion. See Lipid digestion in the mouth as
an example of what to include for full marks.
DIGESTION

Carbohydrate Protein Lipid Nucleic acid

Salivary Salivary Lipase
amylase (from breaks
1. MOUTH

salivary triglycerides
glands) starts N/A into glycerol N/A
to break starch and free fatty
into di- acids
saccharides
(maltose)
ESOPHAGUS
PHARYNX,
2/3.

N/A N/A N/A N/A

Pre-Health Biology
 Pepsin (from

4. STOMACH
stomach)
breaks
N/A complex N/A N/A
proteins into
smaller
peptides

DIGESTION

Carbohydrate Protein Lipid Nucleic acid

Bile (from liver)
emulsifies
Liver/Gall Bladder

lipids

N/A N/A N/A

Pancreatic Trypsin (from Lipase (from Nuclease (from

amylase (from pancreas) pancreas) pancreas)
5. SMALL INTESTINE

pancreas) breaks breaks down breaks down

Pancreas

breaks complex emulsified polynucleotide

polysaccharide proteins into lipids into s into
s into di- smaller monoglyceride nucleotides
saccharides peptides s and fatty
acids

Maltose, Peptidase Nucleosidase

surcease, (from small (from small
lactase (from intestine) intestine)
intestine) breaks smaller breaks down
Small intestine

break di- peptides into nucleotides

saccharides amino acids into sugar
into N/A phosphate and
monosaccharid base
es
INTESTINE
6. LARGE

N/A N/A N/A N/A

Pre-Health Biology
Tracking Food through the Digestive System
11. (9 marks) You have just consumed a protein bar consisting mainly of protein. Using
the word list provided, track the protein bar through the digestive tract to show where
and how the main nutrient in the bar is broken down.
amino acids pancreas pepsin peptidase peptides
peristalsis small intestine stomach trypsin
A. The protein bar is chewed in the mouth and moves down the esophagus and into the
stomach by muscular contractions called peristalsis.

B. As the bolus of food enters the stomach, the enzyme called pepsin acts on the complex
proteins and breaks them down into peptides.

C. The partially digested food, now called chyme, exits the stomach and enters the
duodenum, which is the first segment of the small intestine.

D. The pancreas releases the digestive enzyme called trypsin into the small intestine, which
completes the breakdown of complex proteins into peptides.

E. The small intestine releases the enzyme called peptidase, which completely breaks down
the peptides into their monomers of amino acids.

F. The amino acids are then absorbed into the blood stream and sent to the liver via the
hepatic portal vein.

End Products of Digestion

12. (1 mark) What products of digestion are absorbed into the lymphatic capillaries
(lacteals) of the small intestine? Select one option.
☐ Amino acids
☐ Nucleotides
☐ Glucose
☒ Fatty acids

13. (1 mark) Which of the following is NOT a fat-soluble vitamin? Select one option.
☐ Vitamin K
☐ Vitamin A
☐ Vitamin E
☒ Vitamin C

Pre-Health Biology