Explain the function of the mouth
- The teeth cut and chew food into smaller pieces (physical digestion)
-Physical digestion: Breaking down food by tearing/grinding/ripping it apart
Define the difference between a chemical and physical digestion
Chemical digestion: Breaking down food using enzymes
Physical digestion: Breaking down food by tearing/grinding/ripping it apart
Explain the function of the oesophagus
-Oesophagus moves food from mouth to stomach using a wave of muscular action (called peristalsis)
-Epiglottis - flaps of tissue that covers the trachea when swallowing, prevents food going down the wrong way
Explain the stomach and it’s function
- Muscular bag which traps food for a couple hours.
- Hydrochloric acid in the stomach ⇒ kills bacteria, also softens food
- Stomach also mixes food (churns it)
Explain the function of the small intestine
- Small intestine produced many more enzymes which complete the breakdown of food
- Lower part of the small intestine ⇒ digested food passes into the bloodstream
- Food is absorbed from the small intestine
Explain the function of the liver
- The liver has a range of functions
- The liver produces a liquid called bile
- Bile passes from the liver to the small intestine
- Bile helps to digest fat in the small intestine
Explain the function of the Pancreas
- Pancreas produces many enzymes, which chemically break down food.
- Food does not pass through the pancreas. Instead the enzymes move to the small intestine where they work
Explain the function of the large intestine
- Undigested food passes into the large intestine
- Large intestine takes water back into bloodstream from undigested food causing waste to become more solid (faeces)
- Faeces is stored in the rectum and passes out of the body through the anus (yes we have to write that, no it wasn’t a choice)
How much teeth would an average adult have?
An adult has 32 teeth altogether.
They are in details:
- 4 incisors
- 2 canines
- 4 premolars
- 6 molars on the top and bottom
