Presented by :Ms P.

Brooks

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 1
 Objectives.
At the end of the lesson you should be able to:
Define the term digestion.

Distinguish between chemical and mechanical digestion.

List at least 5 structures of the digestive system and state their

function correctly.
Draw and annotate with functions a diagram of the digestive
system.
Describe the digestion of food in the mouth and stomach.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 2
 What is digestion ?
The breaking down of complex food substances
into smaller units, which makes them capable of
passing through membranes, into the transporting
fluids of the body.
The process of breaking down large, complex
insoluble material into small, simple, soluble
molecules

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive system) 3

Purpose of digestion
The purpose of digestion is to make food particles

small enough to be absorbed by the body.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 4
Investigation of the types of
digestion.
Carry out this simple activity to investigate the types
of digestion.
Aim:
 To investigate chemical and mechanical digestion.
Materials:
 Measuring cylinder, amylase solution ,starch solution ,iodine
solution , test tubes, ,crackers, mortar and pestle, and a stop watch

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 5
 Procedure:

 Step1: Place two crackers in the mortar and use pestle to

grind the cracker into small pieces and observe.

 Step 2: Use measuring cylinder to measure 2cm3 of starch

solution and pour into test tube.

 Step 3: Measure 2cm3 of amylase solution and pour into test

tube with starch solution. Shake mixture and allow to
stand for 5minutes.

Step 4: Add three drops of iodine solution to mixture. Shake

contents of test tube and observe.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 6
Types of digestion
During digestion food is digested by:

Chemical digestion

Mechanical or physical digestion.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 7
Chemical digestion (definition 1)
During chemical digestion food material is reduced to

its simplest component by chemical reactions .It

involves breaking down food using chemicals such as
enzymes and acids.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 8
Chemical digestion ( definition 2)
This is the process by which food is chemically

changed into smaller, water soluble molecules.

Chemical digestion takes place as a result of

digestive juices that are produced by different

organs in our digestive system.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 9
The digestive juices contain digestive enzymes
which are vital in chemical digestion. (Kirby,
Madhosingh and Morrison, 2008,p.65)

Enzymes facilitate the breakdown of complex

molecules, which are too large to pass through the
walls of alimentary canal, into smaller, molecules
that will readily pass.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 10
 Carbohydrates are broken down to simple sugars eg.
Glucose.

 Proteins are broken down to amino acids.

Fats are broken down to fatty acids and glycerol

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 11
Importance of chemical digestion
Chemical digestion is important because food

materials can only be absorbed into the walls of the

alimentary canal (gut) once it has been reduced to
simple substances

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 12
Mechanical digestion (definition1)
This involves the physical breakdown of food by

crushing by the teeth or churning by muscles

(Gadd, 2007,p.82).

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system) 13
Mechanical digestion (definition 2)
Mechanical digestion is the process by which large

food particles are physically broken down into

smaller food particles (Kirby,Madhosingh and
Morrison , 2008,p 64).

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 14
 Mechanical digestion continued.
There is no chemical involved in this process and no

chemical changes or reactions take place in the food.

Biting into a piece of chicken, breaking off a piece

and then chewing it, is a form of mechanical

digestion

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 15
Importance of mechanical
digestion.
The main purpose of mechanical digestion is to

increase the surface area of the food so that

chemical digestion can take place more efficiently.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 16
Location of mechanical digestion in the
alimentary canal.
Parts of the alimentary Description of mechanical digestion.
canal

Mouth Food chewed and broken down by the action of teeth and shaped into a

ball (bolus) by the tongue.

Oesophagus Muscles contract and relax (peristalsis) to transport food to the

stomach.

Stomach The churning action of the walls of the stomach helps to grind

Small intestine Bile is released and this causes the emulsification of fats. This process

doesn’t change the fat, but it breaks down large globules into extremely

small droplets of fats.

(Adapted from Johnson and Morrison, 2010.p.78)
(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive
system) 17
 Differences between mechanical
and chemical digestion.
The main differences between mechanical and
chemical digestion are that:

in mechanical digestion food substances are broken

down into smaller pieces whereas in chemical
digestion food substances are broken down into
smaller molecules.

no enzymes are involved in mechanical digestion but

enzymes are always involved in chemical digestion.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 18
Structure and function of the
alimentary canal

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 19
 Structure of the digestive system
Digestion takes place in the digestive system.

 The human digestive system consists of an

alimentary canal (gut) extending from the mouth to
the anus.

This tube is divided into distinct regions that have

special functions.
Associated with the gut are special organs and
glands like the pancreas and liver which pour special
substances into it.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 20
Structure of the digestive system

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 21
Functions of parts of the digestive system

Retrieved from disease.wikispaces.com/file/view/digestive_system_functions.jpg/168317837/

digestive_system_functions.jpg on october19, 2007

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive 22

system)
Table showing function of structure
of digestive system
Structure Function (in digestion only)

Mouth Food is ingested ( taken into mouth) tongue detect sweet,sour, salt,bitter.

Salivary glands Secrete saliva containing salivary amylase ( enzyme) and mucus.

Oesophagus carries food from the mouth

Stomach muscular wall churns food and secretes gastric juices
produce bile
Liver
Gall bladder stores bile
Bile duct carries bile to duodenum

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 23
Structure Function (in digestion only)
Pyloric sphincter muscle controlling release of food from stomach
Pancreas makes pancreatic juice with digestive enzymes
Pancreatic duct carries pancreatic juice to duodenum
Duodenum secretes intestinal juice with digestive enzymes
Ileum absorbs digested material through the epithelial wall
Caecum absorption of some water
Appendix no function in humans
Colon absorption of water and salts
Rectum stores faeces
Anus faeces are egested(removed from body)

(Adapted from Gadd, 2007, p. 101)

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 24
Video of digestion in the mouth
Carbohydrates ,proteins and enzymes.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 25
Video on digestion in the mouth.
Molly marshmellow adventure

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 26
Digestion in the mouth
Once food is ingested (taken into the mouth), it is
broken down mechanically and chemically.

Mechanical digestion occurs in the mouth due to

the grinding action of the teeth.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 27
 Digestion in the mouth.
Chemical digestion is started by saliva. It is
secreted by three pairs of salivary glands.

Saliva contains an enzyme that brings about

chemical digestion; this enzyme is called salivary
amylase.

Salivary amylase starts the chemical digestion of

carbohydrates by breaking down starch into
maltose.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 28
Digestion in the mouth
Saliva also moistens the mouth and softens the
food with mucus (mastication) to make swallowing
easier.

Food is then rolled into a ball called a bolus and is

pushed to the back of the mouth ( pharynx) by the
tongue to be swallowed.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 29
The initial stages of eating
and swallowing are under
voluntary control.
This means that it is
governed by the brain.
Chewing of food by
teeth and chemical
digestion
(Retrieved from http://www. F:\digestion lesson\Human Nutrition.htm on October 19,2011 )

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 30
Bolus is pushed into the
upper part of the pharynx by The bolus then enters the oesophagus.
the action of the tongue.
 

As the bolus pushes it's way into the

oesophagus it automatically pushes
the epiglottis downwards further
closing off the airway.
 

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 31
 Digestion in the mouth
To prevent food entering the trachea a small flap
called an epiglottis closes the trachea.

Food leaves the mouth at the pharynx and enters the

esophagus.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 32
The Oesophagus
Connects the mouth with the stomach.
 Food moves through the oesophagus by involuntary
wavelike muscular contraction called peristalsis.
Peristalsis continues through the stomach, small
intestine, and large intestine.
Finally, peristalsis forces food into the rectum.
Here it is ready to be discharged out of the anus.
Stomach

(Heterotrophic Nutrition - Digestion) 35

Food enters stomach from oesaphagus.

The stomach is a muscular sac that stores and digests

food.

Food retained in stomach by the pyloric sphincter

until it is digested.

 Sphincter is controlled by circular muscle which

allows passage of food when relaxed.

(Heterotrophic Nutrition - Digestion) 36

Muscles contract to churn food in the stomach ( eg.
of mechanical digestion)

Walls of stomach secretes Gastric Juices

contains dilute hydrochloric acid
and the enzymes pepsin and rennin.

Hydrochloric acid stops the action of salivary

amylase and creates the acid surroundings needed for
the activity of pepsin and rennin

(Heterotrophic Nutrition - Digestion) 37

Hydrochloric acid also destroys some harmful bacteria
in the stomach.

Pepsin and rennin therefore requires an acidic pH to

work.

Pepsin breaks down proteins into polypeptides and

then into smaller chains called peptones.

(Heterotrophic Nutrition - Digestion) 38

The pyloric sphincter then relaxes to allow the liquid
food to enter the duodenum.

Food leaving the stomach is in a liquid form known

as chyme.

(Heterotrophic Nutrition - Digestion) 39

 Name
structures
numbered
below.

(Human Nutrition - Digestion and the digestive

system) 40
The
Thisduodenum
is the first part of the small intestines.
Small intestines about 8 m long.
Bile, pancreatic juices and intestinal juices are poured
onto food in duodenum.

Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder.

Bile passes down the bile duct and onto the food in the
gut.

Bile contains sodium bicarbonate which neutralizes the

acid from the stomach and makes the food alkaline
An alkaline environment is needed for activity of
enzymes in duodenum

Bile does not contain enzymes but contains organic salts

which emulsify fats.

Bile lower the surface tension of fats so that it breaks

down into very tiny drops suspended in the liquid.
Enzymes are therefore able to act on the fats more
easily.

Pancreatic juice is produced by the pancreas and

poured into duodenum.

 Pancreatic juice alkaline due to presence of sodium

carbonates.

 The pancreatic duct leaves the pancreas and joins with

the bile duct before entering the duodenum.
Pancreatic jucie contains the enzymes: amylase, lipase
and the protease trypsin.

Amylase completes the work started in the mouth, by

further breaking down starch to maltose.
Lipase breaks down the emulsified fats into glycerol and
fatty acids.
Trypsin splits up peptones coming from stomach to
smaller units called peptides.
 Activated by enterokinase
Intestinal juice is secreted by the intestinal glands in
the walls of the small intestines.
Contains:
maltase which coverts maltose to glucose.
Peptidase which converts the peptide to amino acids.
A lipase also further digest fats into glycerol and fatty
acids.

Intestinal Gland
Food now broken down into its basic units
 Carbohydrates- glucose
Proteins- amino acids
Fats- glycerol and fatty acids.
Food then enters ileum
Absorption in the ileum
 Second part of small intestine.

 Some digestion occurs in the ileum but its function is

absorption.

 Recall definition of absorption.

 Some absorption occurs in the stomach but not of

digested food as food is not totally digested when in
stomach.

 Alcohol and some drugs when taken are absorbed in

the stomach.
 ileum is adapted for absorption.
 Adaptation of ileum for absorption
Length of intestines(Its about 6 meters long and thus a
large surface area)

The lining of the small intestine contain many tiny

finger like projections called villi
( sing.villus). This increase the surface area for
absorption.

The walls of the villi are only 1 cell thick, easier for
diffusion and active transport to take place
 Villi consist of epithelial cells which have many
microscopic folds called microvilli which further
increase the surface area for absorption.

 There is a rich supply of blood located inside each

villus.
 Glucose and amino acids pass through the
epithelial cells into the capillaries of each villus .

 The fatty acids and glycerol and possibly some

undigested fat droplets pass across the walls of the
villi into vessels called lacteals, which are a part of
the lymphatic system.
 Epithelial cells

Blood vessel
 Assimilation
Monosaccharides (glucose)
These are taken to the liver, by the hepatic portal vein,
then to the rest of the body where:
They are used in respiration

Excess amounts are converted to glycogen in the liver and

stored in the liver muscle cells.

Excess amounts are converted to fat and stored under the

skin or around organs
 Amino Acids
These are taken to the liver by the hepatic portal vein
and then to the rest of the body where:
They are used by the body cells for growth and repair
They are used to make hormones and enzymes.

Excess amounts are converted to glycogen or fat

Excess amounts are broken down, or deaminated in the

liver and converted to urea to be excreated by the kidneys.
 Fatty acids
fat molecules are carried by the lymph to the blood
and are:
Stored under the skin and around the organs
Used to from new membranes in cells and organelles
Used for respiration in some circumstances.
The liver
Largest glandular organ in body.
Functions of the liver
◦ Deamination of amino acids: Amino acids are broken down
into ammonia and an amino group which is used in respiration.
The amino combines with carbondioxide to form urea.

◦ Fat metabolism: Lipids removed from the blood and broken

down eg. Cholesterol

◦ Storage of glycogen: Excess glucose converted to glycogen and

stored in liver cells

 Production of bile: Which is passed to the gall bladder for

storage
Destruction of red blood cells: Phagocytic cells of liver
break down the hemoglobin to form pigments in bile.

Production of plasma proteins eg. albumin and

fibrinogen

Storage of vitamins A,D and B 12

Destruction of toxins(detoxification): harmful

substances are chemically changed eg. Alcohol and other
drugs broken down

Elimination of hormones from the blood

Storage of heat: heat made by metabolic activity in liver
and is transferred to blood.
Large intestine or colon.
 Small intestine joins the large intestine at the caecum and appendix

 Appendix size of small finger, no apparent function.

 Function of the colon is the absorption of water, so it is not lost from

the body.
 Salts are also absorbed.

 Leaves undigested parts called feaces which is stored for some time.
Undigested food materials including roughage
( cellulose )makes up the bulk of faeces.
Faeces is egested as it is not made by metabolism.

Brown colour of faeces is caused by bile pigments and

salts.
Bacteria also forms part of the faeces
Pressure in the rectum leads to the process of
defecation .