The Alimentary Canal

Standard Grade Biology

 Can you sort out the statements
into True and False?
Carbohydrates, Fats are made up of
proteins and fats are smaller units called
all made up of carbon, amino acids
hydrogen, nitrogen
and oxygen.
Starch is a large
carbohydrate molecule

Proteins are made up

of one or more glucose
Starch molecules can
molecules
be broken down by
amylase.
Proteins are important
for the growth and
repair of cells
Can you name the 2 different ways
we breakdown food in our bodies?
1. Mechanical Digestion
-teeth

2. Chemical Digestion
-enzymes
-bile
-stomach acid
1. Parts of The Alimentary Canal

The alimentary canal (or gut) is the tube

within the body through which food passes
and is processed in various ways
 mouth

salivary glands

oesophagus

liver

stomach
pancreas
large intestine

small intestine

anus
 2. Role of the Mouth
Teeth assist the
mechanical breakdown
of food

Saliva is mixed with

food during chewing

Saliva contains the

enzyme amylase which
starts the digestion of
food

Salivary gland
Saliva contains mucus
that keeps the mouth
Salivary gland moist and lubricates
Salivary gland food for easier
swallowing
3. Muscles of the Alimentary Canal
• Food has to be kept moving along the
alimentary canal whilst being mixed with
various juices

• These actions are brought about by

muscles in the walls of the canal over
which a person has little or no conscious
control
 3. Peristalsis

The squeezing action of muscles that

is used to move food along the
alimentary canal

http://www.lionden.com/peristalsis.htm
 Digestive Enzymes
• What do the following enzymes
breakdown?
• What do they break the large moleculs
down into?

• Amlyases
• Lipases
• Proteases
 Digestion
‘the breakdown of large insoluble
molecules into soluble molecules’
Digestion and Digestive Juices

Saliva

GASTRIC JUICE
Bile

PANCREATIC
JUICE INTESTINAL
JUICE
 Sites of production of main
digestive juices
Site of digestive juice Main digestive juice
production produced
Mouth Saliva

Stomach Gastric juice

Liver Bile (breaks down big fat

droplets into little fat
droplets
Pancreas Pancreatic juice

Small Intestine Intestinal juice

Digestion and Digestive Juices

SALIVA
• Salivary
amylase

GASTRIC JUICE
Bile • Hydrochloric
acid
• Pepsin
PANCREATIC (protease)
JUICE INTESTINAL
• Pancreatic JUICE
lipase
 In the Mouth…

Salivary amylase
Starch maltose

• Broken down into glucose later by other

amylases
In the stomach

pepsin
Protein peptides

Broken down into amino acids later by

other proteases
In the pancreas….

Pancreatic lipase
Fats fatty acids and glycerol
 After all the digestive enzymes
have done their work…

• Glucose

• Amino acids

• Fatty acids

• Glycerol
 Finish the sentence….
• Something new I learnt today was…..

• Something I found difficult to understand

was…

• The thing I need to revise from today’s

lesson is…
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