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Digestive system
Learning objectives:
2.27 describe the structure and function of the human alimentary canal,
including the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine (duodenum
and ileum), large intestine (colon and rectum) and pancreas
2.28 understand how food is moved through the gut by peristalsis.
2.30 understand that bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gall
bladder
2.31 understand the role of bile in neutralising stomach acid and
emulsifying lipids
2.32 understand how the small intestine is adapted for absorption,
including the structure of a villus.
 Digestion

Task 1: Using the pictures as clues,

define digestion.
The breakdown of large, insoluble
molecules into smaller, soluble ones.

It involves physical and chemical

breakdown.

The teeth break down large food pieces into

small food pieces to create a larger surface
area for the enzymes to act on.

Digestive enzymes breakdown large

insoluble food molecules into smaller
soluble molecules. (chemical)
Digestive system: structure

Task 2: Label the

following parts of the
digestive system
 Digestive system: process

Task 3:

Each ‘station’ in the room is set up with the name of one organ
involved in the digestive system.

1.Find a friend and then take a pen and head to a ‘station.’

2.You will have 2 minutes to write as much information relating to

that organ as you can. After the time is up you will move clockwise
to the next station.

3.You will then be given another 1 minute to add to the information

at this station. You should only be writing new information.

4.Repeat for other stations.

 Mouth
• Food is ingested here.
Ingestion: the consumption of a substance.
• Mechanical and chemical digestion takes place.
• Your teeth chew the food and break it down into smaller
pieces mechanically. Why is this important?
• Amylase contained within the saliva starts to break down
starch into maltose.
• With the help of the tongue food is rolled into balls of food
called bolus and swallowed.
 Oesophagus
• The food pipe connecting the mouth to the stomach
• Food is moved down here with the aid of muscular
contractions known as peristalsis. (Note: peristalsis also
occurs in the intestines)
 Stomach
- Large muscular bag – contracts and relaxes to churn the food.
- Food can be held here for 2-4 hours.
- The food is mixed with gastric juice, produced by millions of
gastric glands located in the stomach walls.

Gastric juice consists of:

•Pepsin – a protease enzyme released in an inactive form,
activated by HCl.
•HCl – kills bacteria and provides acidic (pH 2) conditions which
are optimal for pepsin.

•Goblet cells produce mucus – lines the stomach to prevent

damage from the hydrochloric acid.
 Duodenum in the small intestines
5 metre long tube:

•This is the first section of the small intestine

•It is where digestion is completed.
•Digestive juices are secreted from the pancreas (pancreatic
juice) and the intestine walls. These include carbohydrases
(including maltase and pancreatic amylase), proteases and
lipases.
•Bile is also released here
 Duodenum in the small intestines
Bile

•Made in the liver.

•Stored in the gall bladder.
•Emulsifies fats providing a larger surface area on which lipase
can act.
•Also neutralizes the stomach content (bile is alkaline)
 Ileum in the small intestines
• The ileum is the part of the small intestine where most of the
absorption of foods takes place.
Absorption: digested food molecules are absorbed.
• The inner surface is folded, producing finger-like projections
called villi.
• Absorption may take place passively or via active transport.
Villi
 Villi
• Increase surface area and therefore greatly improve the
efficiency of the absorption process.

• Have very thin walls to decrease diffusion distance.

• Each villi has a network of capillaries and a lacteal (a small

vessel of the lymphatic system).

• Amino acids and glucose are absorbed into the bloodstream

and taken via the hepatic portal vein to the liver for processing.

• Fatty acids and glycerol are taken into the lacteals and travel in
the lymphatic system.
 Assimilation
After food has been digested and absorbed, it is assimilated into
the body (i.e. it is made part of).

Assimilation – the process by which products of digestion

are used or stored by the body cells.
 Colon in the large intestines
Most useful substances have been removed by the time food
enters the large intestines, what’s left is;

•Undigested food
•Mucus
•Dead cells
•Bacteria

The main role is the reabsorption of water and mineral ions

such as sodium and chloride. Water found in the large intestines
is not only from our dietary intake but also additional quantities
added by the body within digestive juices.
 Rectum in the large intestines
What remains after this point is known as faeces and is stored
in the rectum until it is egested from the body via the anus.

Egestion: discharge of undigested material from the

digestive tract.
 Digestive system: models
Task 4: Recap on the process of digestion by watching this video.
As your watching, evaluate the model used to represent digestion.
 Digestive system: models
Task 5: Try to deduce what each part represents, then evaluate the
model
 Multiple-choice quiz

Digestion begins in the…

A. Stomach
B. Mouth
C. Small intestine
 Multiple-choice quiz

Digestion begins in the…

A. Stomach
B. Mouth
C. Small intestine
 Multiple-choice quiz
How long is food in the stomach for?

A. 1 hour
B. 2-4 hours
C. 4-6 hours
 Multiple-choice quiz
How long is food in the stomach for?

A. 1 hour
B. 2-4 hours
C. 4-6 hours
 Multiple-choice quiz
What is the name of the acid found in the
stomach?

A. Hydrochloric acid (HCl)

B. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
C. Sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
 Multiple-choice quiz
What is the name of the acid found in the
stomach?

A. Hydrochloric acid (HCl)

B. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
C. Sulphuric acid (H2SO4)
 Multiple-choice quiz
What is the job of the acid in the stomach?

A. Neutralise bile
B. Transport oxygen
C. Kill bacteria
 Multiple-choice quiz
What is the job of the acid in the stomach?

A. Neutralise bile
B. Transport oxygen
C. Kill bacteria
 Multiple-choice quiz
What is the main role of the large intestine
(colon)

A. absorb water
B. absorb food
C. transport gases
 Multiple-choice quiz
What is the main role of the large intestine
(colon)

A. absorb water
B. absorb food
C. transport gases
 Multiple-choice quiz
What product is made in the liver but stored in
the gall bladder?

A. Gastric juice
B. Hydrochloric acid
C. Bile
 Multiple-choice quiz
What product is made in the liver but stored in
the gall bladder?

A. Gastric juice
B. Hydrochloric acid
C. Bile