The human digestive system is a bodily process made up of many systems, organs and substances that break down food both physically and chemically for use by the body. But what exactly is human digestion and what happens to food as it moves through the digestive system? “…[digestion] is a group of organs working together to convert food into energy and basic nutrients to feed the entire body” (Tim Taylor). There are three major bodily mechanisms that contribute to the process of digestion. The first mechanism is the breakdown of food, the second mechanism is the process of extracting nutrients from food, and the third mechanism is excretion, or the body’s natural waste system. Each mechanism uses specific bodily organs and chemical compounds to assist in the digestion process. Organs such as the mouth, tongue, throat, liver, esophagus, gallbladder, pancreas, small and large intestines, rectum and anus are all key to the digestive process. These organs and mechanisms come together to convert the food humans eat into energy and nutrients that the body uses to sustain life, and to get rid of unnecessary waste that could be harmful to the body. Although the removal of waste from the human body can be an awkward subject to discuss it is an important part of the digestive system because if left in the body this waste would eventually poison us. The digestive system is interesting, complex and truly important to our daily lives. Without the digestive system energy and nutrients vital to the body could never reach body cells and a person wouldn't be able to do all the things they like to do, such as study, play sports, and hang out with friends. The body uses various organs and chemicals to break down food. The breakdown of food he... ... middle of paper ... ...ng necessary nutrients, such as stomach acid and saliva. The body also uses a waste system to take out the bad stuff in the body that cannot be used as nutrients or energy. Human beings, and all animals from the tiniest insect to the world’s largest mammal, must remove and dispose of wastes from their bodies. Separate systems work on gaseous, liquid, and solid waste. Waste excretion in living things helps maintain homeostasis which supports the basic ability to survive. There are many systems in the human body, from the circulatory which regulates blood flow throughout the body, to the nervous system and muscular system. Each system has its specific function and purpose in the body. However, it is fair to say that the digestive system, with all its necessary organs, enzymes, chemicals and processes is truly one of the most important systems in the human body.
During digestion, the body breaks down food into smaller molecules that could then be used by the body’s cells and tissues in order to perform functions. This starts off in the mouth with the physical movements of chewing and the chemical breakdown by saliva. Enzymes in the stomach break food down further after traveling from the mouth through the esophagus. The food from here then moves into the small intestine, where pancreatic juices and enzymes dissolve proteins, carbohydrates, and fibers, and bile from the liver breaks down fats into these small molecules. Any portion of the fibers or food that were unable to be broken down are passed from the small intestine to the large intestine, which is where the digestive tract transitions into the excretory tract, then the colon and out of the rectum. Any liquids that have been stripped of their nutrients by the body proceed from the stomach to the kidneys. In the kidneys, sodium ions (Na+), uric acid, and urea are exchanged with water, which moves urinary bladder and is excreted through the
A digestive system is where the food is passed through the animal’s body, as is broken down and used for different and specific reason to the animal. There are 3 main digestive systems; these are Monogastric (carnivore), Hindgut Fermenter and a Ruminant. Each of these digestive systems digests foods using nearly the same organs, but for different functions.
Digestion have a function of breaking down all food into our body. Our body use all nutrients to help in the process been health and growth. Digestion supplied small molecules that will be absorbed into our bloodstream.
The digestive system, in organisms like the mink and human, is supposed to break down the food being eaten to transfer into energy. This energy helps other functions of the body that would in turn keep it alive. The digestive system includes organs such as the stomach, intestines, liver, etc. Digestion starts at the mouth, though.
The digestive system otherwise known as the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) is a long tube which runs from the mouth to the anus. It operates to break down the food we eat from large macromolecules such as starch, proteins and fats, which can’t be easily absorbed, into readily absorbable molecules such as glucose, fatty acids and amino acids. Once broken down, these molecules can cross the cells lining the small intestine, enter into the circulatory system and be transported around the body finally being used for energy, growth and repair.
This is a combination of different set of organs which changes whatever we eat or drink in things that the body uses for growth, energy and repair. The body usually absorbs the nutrients, after the food has been broken down by different chemical processes, the rest is normally expelled as waste product. This whole process can usually take up to several hours or less. The digestive system is also known as the alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract. (Tucker L. 2005).
The digestive system has of a chain of linked organs that work with each other to digest, and break down food into molecules that are put in the circulatory system. Then takes them to the body’s tissues. The most important structures in the digestive system are the tongue, mouth, intestines, esophagus, stomach, and anus. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are with the digestive system also.
All 4 systems, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory and excretory all aid the body in maintaining homeostasis through the exchange of gases and molecules throughout the body. The respiratory and cardiovascular systems work together to insure all parts of the body have an adequate oxygen supply for every cell to carry out cellular respiration. Deoxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs where it captures oxygen molecules and transports them from the lungs to around the body until the blood is deoxygenated again. Both systems are also used to remove CO2 from around the body by following the opposite path and exhaling it as waste. The cardiovascular system also works with the digestive system to transport molecules and nutrients needed for cellular respiration. In the digestive system complex molecules are broken down into smaller, simpler molecules like glucose. These molecules are then
The whole purpose of your digestion system is to break down and absorb the energy and nutrients it needs from the food you eat. The sandwich, strawberries, and orange juice you have just consumed is going through this process right now! The process of digestion begins with ingestion, this is when you take a bite of what you have planned to eat. When you took a bite of your sandwich and strawberry slices you were essentially beginning the process of digestion. Second comes the job of your digestion, which is a much more time-consuming and complex process for your digestive system. It begins once you have began chewing your food. There are two known types of digestion, these include Mechanical digestion, which is when you “physically break down the food into smaller pieces”, for instance chewing a burger and having it result in several chunks, and Chemical Digestion which is when you chemically break down your food, such as eating a slice of br...
In short, digestion is the process where food is broken down and then absorbed by the body. The digestive system is extremely important as it is the main factor in how much of a foods nutrients are utilized. The process of digestion is essential for the body as it is the body's source for energy.
There are many similarities and differences between organisms of different species’ digestive systems. The digestive system of an organism is the system that makes food absorbable into the body. The food that the organism takes into their body is broken down through an organ to make it easier for the body to take the nutrients it needs from the food. The food that is broken down in the digestive system is then turned into energy for the organism.
The human digestion system is very complex. It starts with the mouth, salivary glands, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, large intestine, then ends/exits with the anus. Each step is essential to the whole system. For example, the mouth chews food and mixes it with saliva produced by the salivary glands, and then the pharynx swallows chewed food mixed with saliva, this is followed by the food traveling through the esophagus to the stomach where the food gets a bath and mixes with acids and enzymes. After the stomach, the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder produce, stores, and releases bile and bicarbonates. Bile is produced in the liver and aids in digestion and absorption of fat while the gallbladder stores bile and releases it into the small intestine when needed. Following the process into the small intestine, this is where nutrients will be absorbed into the blood or lymph (most digestion occurs here). Next is the large intestine this is where water and some vitamins and minerals are absorbed. Finally, it is the end of the road, the anus. At...
First of all, digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into smaller ones that can be absorbed into the blood.
The excretory system, which includes the rectum and anus helps the digestive system by getting rid of waste and the digestive system helps the excretory system by breaking down food to be eliminated from the body. Wow! The human body wouldn’t be able to work without one or the other. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading my journey throughout the human digestive system. I hope to write again from where my next journey from here will begin- perhaps it will be in the ocean or along Sydney Water pipes. Until next
The digestive system is very responsible for taking the whole food that people eat and turns them into energy and nutrients to allow the body to function, grow, and fix itself. The six primary processes of this system are ingestion of food, secretion of fluids and digestive enzymes, mixing and movement of food and waste throughout the body, digestion of food into small pieces, absorbing the nutrients, and the elimination of wastes. Ingestion is the first function of the digestive system, which is also known as the intake of food. The mouth is the reasoning for this process because through the mouth is the way food enters the body. The stomach and the mouth store food until your stomach is ready to digest the food that was just eaten. The reason why people can only eat a few times a day is because your body can only allow a certain amount of food depending on your body weight and type, and it cannot ingest more food than it can process at one time. The next step in Secretion, this happens in the course of the day. The digestive system secretes about 7 liters of fluid daily, but these fluids include saliva, mucus, hydrochloric acid, enzymes, and bile...