Human Digestive System Overview

What is the main function of digestive juices secreted into the food vacuole?

Which part of the human digestive system plays a key role in absorbing nutrients for growth and maintenance?

In ruminants, which part of the digestive system is responsible for fermentation of cellulose and other complex compounds?

Which organ is responsible for the production and storage of bile in the human body?

What is the main function of villi in the small intestine?

Which process involves the absorption of water from the undigested residue of food?

What is the main role of villi in the small intestine?

In ruminants like cows, which chamber of the stomach is responsible for storage and partial digestion of food?

What is the primary function of bile in digestion?

Where does the absorption of water take place in the digestive system?

Which organ is responsible for the production of bile in the digestive system?

What is the significance of egestion in the process of nutrition?

What happens to carbohydrates during assimilation?

What is the role of villi in the intestine?

What is the function of the large intestine in digestion?

Which organ produces bile for digestion?

What does the process of egestion involve?

Which part of the digestive system is responsible for absorbing water and some salts?

Nutrition in Animals

Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are broken down into simple forms: glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids, respectively.
This process is called assimilation.
Glucose breaks down into carbon dioxide and water, releasing energy in the cells.

Digestion and Absorption

The small intestine is responsible for absorption of digested food.
The inner walls of the small intestine have finger-like outgrowths called villi, which increase the surface area for absorption.
Each villus has a network of thin blood vessels close to its surface, allowing for absorption of digested food materials.

Large Intestine

The large intestine is wider and shorter than the small intestine, and is about 1.5 meters in length.
Its function is to absorb water and some salts from the undigested food material.
The remaining waste passes into the rectum and remains as semi-solid faeces.

Egestion

The undigested and unabsorbed residues are expelled out of the body as faeces through the anus.
This process is called egestion.

Nutrition Process

Nutrition involves five main steps: ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, and egestion.
The absorbed substances are transported to different parts of the body for growth, maintenance, and multiplication.

Types of Animals

Ruminants, such as cows, buffaloes, and deer, quickly ingest and store their leafy food in the rumen, and later chew it peacefully.
Amoeba ingests its food with the help of its false feet or pseudopodia, and digests it in the food vacuole.

Test your knowledge on the basic overview of the human digestive system, including the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, assimilation, and absorption in the small intestine and large intestine.