2. Why study the digestive system?
• To keep our bodies alive we need to eat food
everyday!
• The digestive system is a collection of organs
that allows your body to break down food and
be used by cells
4. Organs of the digestive system
• Mouth contains tongue and teeth that start to
break down food
• Esophagus is a muscular tube in which food
passes to get to your stomach
– Moves food along in a
process called peristalsis
• Stomach
– Described as a
muscular bag
5. Organs of the digestive system continued…
• Small intestine gets its name from its small
diameter
– Most digestion takes place here, through the villi
(inner folds of small intestine)
– All nutrients from food are absorbed here
6. Organs of the digestive system
continued…
• Large intestine has the job of absorbing water
and returning it to the body
– Solid waste is left
• Rectum is where this solid
waste is stored until it is
ready to leave the body
through the anus
