How does the digestive system work?

1. HOW DOES THE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
WORK?

2. Our teeth chew the food.
Then, salivary glands
produce saliva and saliva is
mixed with the food.
1. THE MOUTH

3. 2. THE BOLUS
The tongue shapes
the food and makes
a bolus. This bolus
goes to the
oesophagus and
after that, it reaches
the stomach.

4. 3. THE EPIGLOTTIS.
The epiglottis is
like a tap that does
not allow the food
to go to the
respiratory system.

6. The movement of
the epiglottis is an
involuntary one
and is controlled
by the brain stem.

7. 4. THE STOMACH
The stomach produces gastric juices that
break down the bolus. The result is a thick
liquid.
Gastric juices also kill dangerous bacteria.

8. 5. LIVER AND PANCREAS
The thick liquid produced in
the stomach is mixed with two
liquids: bile (produced by the
liver) and pancreatic juices
(produced by the pancreas).

9. This mixture goes to the small
intestine. The liquid contains:
nutrients and waste product.
The small intestine is covered
by blood vessels that absorb
the nutrients.
6. SMALL INTESTINE

10. These nutrients go to the blood and
the blood transports them to all
parts of our body.

11. However, what happens with the
waste products that our body does
not need?

12. 6. LARGE INTESTINE
Waste products that our body does not need go to the
large intestine. The large intestine does two things:
1. It absorbs water.
2. It stores faeces.

13. 7. LAST STAGE
Finally, the faeces
are released
through the anus.

14. 8. TO SUM UP
The process of
digestion takes from 24
to 72 hours to be
completed.
An adult digestive tract
is about 9 metres long.