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HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
NEED FOR FOOD: Food is required by our body
• For growth and repair of cells
• To provide energy for daily activities
• To maintain body heat and constant temperature
• To maintain a healthy body
Food provides essential nutrients required by our body to perform above functions.
NUTRIENTS: The nutrients are mainly of three kinds
Nutrients Functions Examples
• Carbohydrates a) Provides energy Potatoes, rice (in form of
(Mostly Big molecules) (immediate source) Starch);
required for growth, Fruits (in form of sucrose)
warmth and
movement
• Proteins a) Required for cell Milk, Yoghurt, eggs, meat
(Very large molecules) growth and tissue/cell
repair
b) Synthesis of enzymes
(complex proteins
which are required for
speeding up of
different metabolic
activities in body)
c) Source of energy if
carbohydrates and fats
unavailable
• Fats a) Stores energy and Butter, Cheese
(Large molecules) provides two times
more energy than
carbohydrates
b) Helps to maintain
body heat
Our body is made up of cells, cell membrane is semi-permeable which allows only small molecules to
pass through.
As these nutrients are large molecules they cannot pass through the walls of cell where they are
converted into energy. Hence these should be broken down into smaller, simpler molecules so that
they can easily pass through the walls of cell.
DIGESTION:
Digestion refers to process of breakdown of larger food molecules to smaller food molecules
which can easily diffuse through the walls and enter blood stream.
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
• Digestion takes place in following steps
o Ingestion
o Physical and chemical digestion
o Absorption
o Elimination or Egestion
• A set of organs and few glands work together to carry out the above processes. All these
organs connect together to form a long tube of about 9 meters called as gut or alimentary
canal.
• Thus, digestive system is made up of alimentary canal consisting of mouth, oesophagus,
stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus along with glands like salivary glands, liver
and pancreas.
• As food passes through the gut, it is acted upon by enzymes produced in gut and by glands
that breakdown the large molecules into small molecules.
ENZYMES
Enzymes are complex proteins produced by the body that help to break down large molecules into
smaller molecules, and speed up the process of digestion. The enzymes are broadly classified as:
Class of enzyme Action
Carbohydrase Large carbohydrate molecule -> simple sugars
Protease Large protein molecule -> amino acids
Lipase Large molecule of fat -> glycerol & fatty acids
ACTION OF ENZYME
o Enzymes are specific in action i.e. enzymes that breakdown proteins cannot breakdown fats.
o Each enzyme molecule has a specific shape of active site where the food molecules
corresponding to that shape bind and forms an Enzyme- Food Complex
o Enzyme acts on that food molecule and breaks it down to smaller molecules.
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
WORKSHEET 1
1) Why do we need food?
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2) What is the purpose of digestion?
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3) This nutrient provides more energy than carbohydrates. ________________________
4) The largest nutrient molecules _________________________________
5) Nutrient found in Rice. ______________________________
6) Complex proteins that help in breakdown. ___________________________
7) The long tube of around 9 metres that forms a part of digestive system.
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8) Define Digestion
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9) What are different steps involved in digestion?
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10) What are enzymes? Give two characteristics?
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HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
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11) Fill in the boxes
Class of enzyme Action
Large carbohydrate molecule -> simple sugars
Protease
Large molecule of fat -> glycerol & fatty acids
12) List down the parts of digestive system
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13) Name the diagram
1) ___________________________________________________________________________
2) __________________________________________________________________________
3) ___________________________________________________________________________
4) __________________________________________________________________________
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Kinds of digestion:
• Mechanical or physical digestion
Large pieces of food broken down by teeth or churning movements of alimentary canal is
called physical digestion.
• Chemical Digestion
When large molecules of food broken down action of enzymes or secretions of
glands/organs in alimentary canal, it is called chemical digestion.
ROLE OF ORGANS in alimentary canal
Organs Function Main Action
Mouth (Mechanical Digestion)
(10-20 secs) o Chew and grind the
o Teeth food into small pieces
that increases the
surface area for the
enzymes to act on.
o Rolls the food into
o Tongue small ball called bolus
(mixture of food and
saliva)
o The saliva from the
o Salivary glands glands mixes with food
to wet it
o Saliva contains salivary o AMYLASE:
amylase that break Starch → Maltose
down the starch in
food to maltose
Oesophagus (10 secs) o Walls of oesophagus
(Long Muscular tube are made up of
connecting the back of mouth muscles which
to stomach) contract in a wave like
manner that squeezes
the food along the
canal. (peristalsis)
Stomach (2- 6 hrs) o The muscles contract
(Mechanical Digestion + and relax to churn the
Chemical Digestion) food and breakdown
into smaller
(Muscular bag that has glands molecules.
in the walls) (Mechanical
Digestion) It mixes it
with gastric juice o PROTEASE
o Gastric juice has Proteins -> Amino
protease and acids
hydrochloric acid.
Protease breakdown
proteins into amino
acids. Hydrochloric
acid helps protease to
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
work and also kills
bacteria in the food
Small Intestine (5 hrs) o It contracts and o Bile Juice aids in
(Long muscular tube between relaxes to mix the food emulsification (the
stomach and large intestine) (now called chyme) process of breaking
Digestion ends here. with bile juice down larger fat
(Physical Digestion), molecules to small fat
intestinal juice and molecules). Bile has
pancreatic juice to NO ENZYMES
further digest the food
(Chemical Digestion) o Intestinal juice
Carbohydrase-
Maltase
Maltose -> glucose
Protease
Simple proteins ->
amino acids
Lipase
Molecule of fat ->
glycerol & fatty acids
o Pancreatic juice
Carbohydrase-
Amylase
Starch -> Maltose
Protease
Simple proteins ->
amino acids
Lipase
Molecule of fat ->
glycerol & fatty acids
o Absorbs digested food
into the bloodstream
(ABSORPTION)
Large Intestine consists of
o Colon o Absorbs water and
mineral salts from
undigested food
leaving behind almost
solid waste called
faeces.
o Rectum o Temporarily stores
faeces
o Anus o Expels faeces in a
process called
egestion.
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
WORSHEET 2
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HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
REVISION Worksheet – 13/06/22
Organs Juice Secreted or Chemical/Enzyme Present Action
added
Mouth
Oesophagus
Stomach a) _________ 1)__________________ 1)__________________
2)__________________ 2)__________________
Small Intestine a)__________from ___________________
____________
b)__________from 1)__________________ 1)__________________
_____________
2)__________________ 2)__________________
3)__________________ 3)__________________
c)____________ 1)__________________ 1)__________________
2)__________________ 2)__________________
3)__________________ 3)__________________
Large Intestine
a. Colon 1)__________________
b. Rectum 2)__________________
c. Anus 3)__________________
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
LABEL THE PARTS OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
• Solve the Kahoot quiz
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Difference in physical and chemical digestion
Physical/Mechanical Digestion Chemical Digestion
It involves physical breakdown of molecules The breakdown of food by chemical means
into smaller molecules. requiring chemical reactions(enzyme)
The smaller molecules are of same substance The new molecules are produced
Mechanical Digestion increases the surface Chemical digestion helps to break down larger
area for chemical digestion molecules into new smaller molecules that can
pass through the cell membrane.
Examples: Examples:
• Crushing, grinding, tearing food by • Saliva in mouth breaking down
teeth. carbohydrates
• Swallowing food • Protease (pepsin) breaking down
• Bile breaks fats into tiny droplets of protein in stomach, small intestine
fat • Carbohydrase and Lipase in small
intestine breaking down
carbohydrates and lipids/fats.
Absorption of food
• Absorption is the movement of digested food molecules from the digestive system into the
blood.
• Absorption takes place in the second section of the small intestine, the ileum.
• The ileum is adapted for absorption as
o it is very long
o has a highly folded surface with millions of villi (tiny, finger like projections)
o the walls are just one cell thick which allows easy and quick diffusion.
• These adaptations increase the surface area of the ileum, allowing absorption to take place
faster and more efficiently
Source:
Savemyexams.co.uk
• PROCESS
o The food is already broken into small molecules in small intestine.
o These small molecules of food can now pass through the walls of villi present on
intestinal walls.
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
o From the villi these molecules move into the blood vessels.
o These molecules are then absorbed by the cells. They pass through the cell
membrane and then are used for respiration, repair and other processes
Water is absorbed in both the small intestine and the colon, but most absorption of water also
happens in the small intestine.
Food Borne diseases
Food borne diseases are illnesses caused by consuming contaminated food and drink. Bacteria are
the most common causes of food-borne diseases.
Symptoms
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• Dehydration
Prevention:
We should follow good hygiene habits
• Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating them
• Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw food
• Refrigerate food
• Cook food thoroughly
• Cover food with a food cover or plastic wrap
HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
TEST 1 – HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
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(Source: All about Science, Hodder Education)
