Put in order: stomach, mouth, small intestine, oesophagus, large intestine.

Mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine.

What is mechanical digestion?

Breaking food into smaller pieces without changing its molecules, e.g. chewing.

What is chemical digestion?

Breaking down food molecules using enzymes.

Waves of muscle contraction that push food along the gut.

Where is bile made and stored?

Made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder.

Give two functions of bile.

It neutralises stomach acid and emulsifies fats.

What does the pancreas make?

Digestive enzymes: amylase, protease and lipase.

Tiny finger-like projections in the small intestine that absorb digested food.

Give three adaptations of villi.

Large surface area, thin wall (one cell thick), and a good blood supply.

What is assimilation?

The use of absorbed food molecules by the cells of the body.

What is the role of the rectum?

To store faeces before they leave through the anus.

The digestive systemIB MYP Sciences: Flashcards

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What is the alimentary canal?

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What is the alimentary canal?: The long tube through which food passes, from the mouth to the anus.
Put in order: stomach, mouth, small intestine, oesophagus, large intestine.: Mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine.
What is mechanical digestion?: Breaking food into smaller pieces without changing its molecules, e.g. chewing.
What is chemical digestion?: Breaking down food molecules using enzymes.
What is peristalsis?: Waves of muscle contraction that push food along the gut.
Where is bile made and stored?: Made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder.
Give two functions of bile.: It neutralises stomach acid and emulsifies fats.
What does the pancreas make?: Digestive enzymes: amylase, protease and lipase.
Where is most of the water in the gut absorbed?: In the large intestine.
What are villi?: Tiny finger-like projections in the small intestine that absorb digested food.
Give three adaptations of villi.: Large surface area, thin wall (one cell thick), and a good blood supply.
What is assimilation?: The use of absorbed food molecules by the cells of the body.
What is the role of the rectum?: To store faeces before they leave through the anus.

Exam questions on The digestive system

A boy in Istanbul eats a lunch of bread, cheese and olives. Over the next few hours the food travels through his alimentary canal, and digestive juices are added to it by several organs.
Explain the functions of bile in digestion.2 marks
A student in Singapore swallows a mouthful of bread. In the mouth the bread is chewed and mixed with saliva, and it is then swallowed as a soft ball of food.
Explain why chewing food helps chemical digestion.2 marks
The small intestine is about 6 m long and its inner lining is covered with millions of tiny finger-like projections called villi. A patient with coeliac disease has villi that have become flattened, and she absorbs much less digested food into her blood than a healthy person.
Explain how villi are adapted to absorb digested food efficiently.3 marks

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Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).