Human Digestive System Answers

Handouts: The diagram of the human digestive system you made. You will be tested on the
identification of the different organs.
2 Handouts labeled: The Human Digestive System

Textbook Reading: Pages 530 - 539

Basic Questions:
1. Canines are used for mechanical digestion.

2. The fingerlike projections in the small intestines are the villi.

3. The wavelike motion that pushes food through the intestines is called peristalsis.

4. The chemical breakdown of food is performed by water, acids, and enzymes.

5. Bile is produced by the liver.

6. Bile is stored in the gall bladder.

7. Broken down nutrients are absorbed in the small intestines.

8. Water and some vitamins are absorbed in the large intestines.

9. The greatest amount of digestion occurs in the small intestines.

10. What structure prevents food from entering the respiratory system? Epiglottis

Modified True/False
11. Mechanical digestion increases the surface area of food being digested.
True
12. Fats and Protein have the same amount of calories per gram.
False: Carbohydrates
13. Ptyalin is secreted by the cells in the stomach.
False: HCl or Pepsin
14. Blood vessels are found in the villi of the stomach.
False: Small Intestines
15. Villi increase the surface area, leading to an increase in the absorption of food.
True
Multiple Choice
16. Absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream begins in the
a. Mouth
b. Stomach
c. Small Intestine
d. Large Intestine

17. The digestion of carbohydrates begins in the

a. Mouth
b. Esophagus
c. Stomach
d. Small Intestines

18. The digestion of proteins begins in the

a. Mouth
b. Esophagus
c. Stomach
d. Small Intestines

19. The digestion of fats and oils begins in the

a. Mouth
b. Esophagus
c. Stomach
d. Small Intestines

20. Gastric juices refers to the juices of the

a. Mouth
b. Esophagus
c. Stomach
d. Small Intestines

21. Bacteria are helpful in breaking down food in the

a. Mouth
b. Stomach
c. Small Intestine
d. Large Intestines
Fun reading about new developments in the scientific exploration of our gut biome!!!
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/11/08/243929866/can-we-eat-our-way-to-a-
healthier-microbiome-its-complicated
http://genome.wustl.edu/projects/detail/human-gut-microbiome/
Application Questions:
Multiple Choice
22. What organs perform mechanical digestion?
a. Small and Large Intestine
b. Mouth and Stomach
c. Mouth and Small Intestine
d. Stomach and Small Intestine

23. Peristalsis does not occur in the…

a. Mouth
b. Esophagus
c. Small Intestines
d. Large Intestines

24. Which of the following organic molecules is used for chemical digestion?
a. Carbohydrates
b. Proteins (remember that enzymes are a type of protein)
c. Fats and Oils
d. Nucleic Acids

25. Which of the following is not a gastric juice?

a. Hydrochloric Acid
b. Pepsin
c. Ptyalin
d. Mucus

26. The gall bladder and pancreas inject substances into the duodenum.

27. List in order the organs that food passes through.

 Mouth
 Pharynx
 Esophagus
 Stomach
 Small Intestines: which includes the duodenum (first section)
 Large Intestines: which includes the rectum (last section)
 Anus

28. Food does not pass through all the organs of the digestive system. What organs do not come
in contact with food, but will inject substances necessary for digestion?
 Pancreas, and Liver

29. Would the breakdown of food without mechanical digestion be more or less efficient? Why?
  It would be less efficient without mechanical digestion. Mechanical digestion increases the
surface area, allowing the enzymes, acids, and water to come in contact with more food.
Without mechanical digestion food might pass through your body without being digested.

30. Why are the small intestines so long?

 An increase in the size of the intestines is followed by an increase in the absorption of food.
If your small intestines didn’t have villi to increase the surface area, or if they were shorter,
than less food would be absorbed.