The human digestive system breaks down food into absorbable units that enter the bloodstream for distribution to cells, while eliminating indigestible waste as feces. It consists of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. Food enters through the mouth and passes through each component where digestion and absorption occur before exiting as waste.

1. THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM

2. Breaks food down into
absorbable units that
enters the blood for
distribution to body cells;
indigestible foodstuffs are
eliminated as feces
The digestive system

3. THE PARTS OF THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
• Mouth
• Pharynx
• Esophagus
• stomach
• Small intestine
• Large intestine
• Rectum
• Anus

4. MOUTH
food enters the digestive tract through
the mouth or oral cavity

5. PHARYNX from the mouth, food passes
posteriorly into the
oropharynx and
laryngopharynx, both of
which are common
passageways for food, fluids
and air. The pharynx is
subdivided into the
nasopharynx, part of the
respiratory passageway; the
oropharynx, posterior to the
oral cavity; and the
laryngopharynx, which is
continuous with the
esophagus below.

6. ESOPHAGUS
the esophagus or gullet
runs from the pharynx
through the diaphragm
to the stomach. About
25cm (10 inches) long, it
is essentially a
passageway that
conducts food to the
stomach.

7. STOMACH
The stomach is a
muscular organ located
on the left side of the
upper abdomen. The
stomach receives food
from the esophagus. As
food reaches the end of
the esophagus, it
enters the stomach
through a muscular
valve called the lower
esophageal sphincter.

8. SMALL INTESTINE
the small intestine is the
body’s major digestive
organ. Within its twisted
passageways, usable
food is finally prepared
for its journey into the
cells of the body. The
small intestine is a
muscular tube extending
from the pyloric
sphincter to the ileocecal
valve.

9. LARGE INTESTINE
the large intestine is much
larger in diameter than the
small intestine (thus its
name, the large intestine) but
shorter in length. About 1.5
meters (5 feet) long, it
extends from the ileocecal
valve to the anus. Its major
function is to dry out the
indigestible food residue by
absorbing water and to
eliminate these residues from
the body as feces.

10. RECTUM
The rectum (Latin for
"straight") is an 8-inch
chamber that connects
the colon to the anus. It
is the rectum's job to
receive stool from the
colon, to let you know
there is stool to be
evacuated, and to hold
the stool until
evacuation happens.

11. ANUS
The anus is the
last part of the
digestive tract. It
consists of the
pelvic floor
muscles and the
two anal
sphincters (internal
and external
muscles).