How we digest food 1. Fill in the gaps using what you have learned.!

2. Read the whole worksheet.

When we eat, we put ____ in our ______. We chew food with our
_____ and ______ (mastication) to ____________ break it down
into smaller pieces.!
!
In our mouth are _______ glands, these release ______ containing
________, an enzyme. Amylase breaks down large _______
molecules into smaller ______, because it is an enzyme the
_______ isn’t used up by this.!
When we swallow food it goes down our __________ into our
________. !
!
In our stomach is a strong _____ and enzymes which breaks down!
food. Our stomach ________ also churn the food, this is called
peristalsis and is another form of ________ digestion.!
!
/15
© MrMortonScience 2013

How we digest food 2 1. Fill in the gaps using what you have learned.!
2. Read the whole worksheet.

The food stays in the stomach for about 4 hours. After our stomachs the food is
released by a valve called a sphincter, this is a circular muscle that can open and
close. The food travels past our pancreas, gall bladder and liver. The liver makes a
chemical called bile, and stores it in the gall bladder. !
!
When bile mixed with our food it breaks down the long fat molecules into tiny
droplets which we can later absorb. The pancreas adds another digestive chemical to
the food, this is a type of carbohydrase; an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates
into simple sugars, and a type of protease; which breaks down protein. !
!
Most of the absorption of food molecules into the blood takes place in the small
__________, this is a tube that is 3m long. Along the walls of the intestine are
millions of very small finger-like cells called villi, these have a very large surface area
and are full of tiny blood capillaries so are able to ______ our food quickly. !
!
In the large intestine the last of the food arrives and we absorb as much ______ as
we can back into the blood, food spends 12 hours in the large ________. Solid
waste (faeces) is stored in the _______ until it leaves the body.!
! /5
© MrMortonScience 2013
 How we digest food 1. Fill in the gaps using what you have learned.!
2. Read the whole worksheet.

When we eat, we put food in our mouths. We chew food with

our teeth and tongue (mastication) to physically break it down
into smaller pieces.!
!
In our mouth are salivary glands, these release saliva containing
amylase, an enzyme. Amylase breaks down large starch
molecules into smaller sugars, because it is an enzyme the
amylase isn’t used up by this.!
When we swallow food it goes down our oesophagus into our
stomach. In our stomach is a strong acid which breaks down
food. Our stomach muscles also churn the food, this is called
peristalsis and is another form of physical digestion.!
!
/15
© MrMortonScience 2013

How we digest food 2 1. Fill in the gaps using what you have learned.!
2. Read the whole worksheet.

The food stays in the ________ for about 4 hours. After our stomachs the food is
released by a valve called a sphincter, this is a circular _______ that can open and
close. The food travels past our pancreas, _____ bladder and liver. The liver makes a
chemical called bile, and stores it in the gall bladder. !
!
When bile mixed with our food it breaks down the long fat molecules into tiny
droplets which we can later absorb. The _______ adds another digestive chemical to
the food, this is a type of carbohydrase; an _______ that breaks down ___________
into simple ________, and a type of protease; which breaks down _________. !
!
Most of the absorption of food molecules into the blood takes place in the small
__________, this is a tube that is 3m long. Along the walls of the intestine are
millions of very small finger-like cells called _______, these have a very large surface
area and are full of tiny ________ capillaries so are able to ______ our food quickly. !
!
In the large intestine the last of the food arrives and we absorb as much ______ as
we can back into the ________, food spends 12 hours in the large ________. Solid
waste (faeces) is stored in the _______ until it leaves the body.!
! /15
© MrMortonScience 2013