digestive system

Question 1

how often are macronutrients required

Answer 1

required in large amounts everyday

Question 2

how often are micronutrients required

Answer 2

required in small amounts everyday

Question 3

What are the main macronutrients?

Answer 3

Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (fats).

Question 4

Function of carbohydrates?

Answer 4

A: Major source of energy; stored as glycogen in liver/muscles; sugars provide quick energy.

Question 5

Structure of carbohydrates?

Answer 5

A: Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; monosaccharides, disaccharides, starch, and cellulose (fiber).

Sugars provide the cell with ENERGY
1 sugar molecule is called a monosaccharide
2 sugars linked are called disaccharides

Question 6

Function of proteins?

Answer 6

A: Build body structures, communication, defense (immune), enzymes.

Question 7

Structure of proteins?

Answer 7

A: Chains of 20 amino acids; 12 nonessential (body makes), 8 essential (must get from diet).

pepsin breaks proteins into peptides, which are then further broken into amino acids by other enzymes like trypsin.

Question 8

Function of lipids?

Answer 8

A: Store energy, support fat-soluble vitamins, insulation, protection.

Question 9

Structure of lipids?

Answer 9

A: Made of glycerol + fatty acids.

Question 10

Difference between saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats?

Answer 10

A: Saturated: single bonds, solid, animal.
Unsaturated: double bonds, liquid, plants/fish.
Trans: partially hydrogenated, solid, fast foods, heart disease risk. should be avoided completely. mostly artificially made

Question 11

Function of vitamins?

Answer 11

A: Help regulate body processes, support immunity, enable energy release from food.

Question 12

Q: Difference between water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins?

Answer 12

A: Water-soluble: B, C (must eat daily).
Fat-soluble: A, D, E, K (stored in fat tissue).

Question 13

Function of minerals?

Answer 13

A: Support enzymes, hormones, bone health, fluid balance, nerve signaling.

Question 14

Function of water?

Answer 14

A: Essential nutrient, 75% of body mass, lost through sweat/urine/breath, prevents dehydration.

Question 15

What are the 4 stages of digestion?

Answer 15

A: Ingestion, digestion, absorption, elimination.

Question 16

Where does ingestion occur?

Answer 16

A: Mouth – food enters, teeth chew, saliva starts starch digestion.

Question 17

Where does digestion occur?

Answer 17

A: Mouth, stomach, small intestine – mechanical and chemical breakdown.

Question 18

Where does absorption occur?

Answer 18

A: Small intestine (nutrients), large intestine (water, some vitamins).

Question 19

Where does elimination occur?

Answer 19

A: Large intestine and anus – removal of waste as feces.

Question 20

Function of the mouth?

Answer 20

A: Ingestion and physical & chemical digestion (teeth, tongue, saliva).

Question 21

Function of salivary glands?

Answer 21

A: Produce saliva to start chemical digestion (amylase) and fight bacteria (lysosomes).

Question 22

Function of the esophagus?

Answer 22

A: Moves bolus to stomach via peristalsis; secretes mucin.

Question 23

Function of the stomach?

Answer 23

A: Physical digestion (churns food), chemical digestion (pepsin, lipase), sphincters prevent backflow.

Question 24

Function of the small intestine?

Answer 24

A: Chemical digestion, nutrient absorption, peristalsis; duodenum digests macronutrients, jejunum & ileum absorb nutrients via villi.

Question 25

Function of the large intestine?

Answer 25

A: Absorbs water, produces vitamins with bacteria, forms feces.

Question 26

Function of gallbladder?

Answer 26

A: Stores bile until fat enters small intestine.

Question 27

Function of liver?

Answer 27

A: Detoxifies blood, stores vitamins, makes heparin, cholesterol, bile.

Question 28

Function of pancreas?

Answer 28

A: Secretes enzymes (amylase, lipase, trypsin), insulin, glucagon; pH 11.

Question 29

What does amylase do and where is it produced?

Answer 29

A: Breaks down starch → sugars; produced in salivary glands and pancreas.

Question 30

What does pepsin do and where is it produced?

Answer 30

A: Breaks down proteins → peptides/amino acids; produced in stomach.

Question 31

What does lipase do and where is it produced?

Answer 31

A: Breaks down fats → fatty acids + glycerol; produced in pancreas & small intestine.

Question 32

What does trypsin do and where is it produced?

Answer 32

A: Breaks down proteins → amino acids; produced in pancreas.

Question 33

What do maltase, lactase, and sucrase do and where are they produced?

Answer 33

A: Break down sugars → glucose; produced in small intestine.

Question 34

: What does nuclease do and where is it produced?

Answer 34

A: Breaks down nucleic acids → nucleotides; produced in pancreas.

Question 35

What is the function of sphincters?

Answer 35

A: Prevent backflow of food.

Question 36

Name the 4 sphincters and locations.

Answer 36

A: Cardiac – esophagus/stomach Pyloric – stomach/small intestine Ileocecal – small/large intestine Anal – large intestine/anus