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# The Digestive System: Function and Structure The digestive system is a group of organs working together to break down food into nutrients. The organs work together to change food into substances that the body can use for growth, maintenance, and repair. The process of digestion involves several...

# The Digestive System: Function and Structure The digestive system is a group of organs working together to break down food into nutrients. The organs work together to change food into substances that the body can use for growth, maintenance, and repair. The process of digestion involves several steps: ## 2.1 Digestive Processes 1. **Ingestion:** The entry of food into the digestive tract through the mouth. 2. **Mastication and Insalivation:** Chewing food and mixing it with saliva in the mouth. 3. **Deglutition:** The movement of the food bolus from the pharynx to the esophagus. 4. **Digestion:** Mechanical and chemical processes that break down food into nutrients. * **Mechanical Digestion:** The physical breakdown of food through actions like chewing. * **Chemical Digestion:** The breakdown of food with enzymes. 5. **Absorption:** Nutrients from digested food are absorbed into the bloodstream or lymph (in the case of lipids) from the intestines. 6. **Excretion:** The removal of undigested materials through the anus. The image also depicts a diagram of the human digestive system.