8.4.4 Digestive System

8.4.
4 Digestive system
DO THIS NOW…
“There is no obvious
relationship between
income and obesity.”
1. Do you agree?
2. Explain your
answer using
evidence.
Digestive system 16/02/22
Learning Objectives
Describe what happens during digestion and the roles the parts of the
digestive system have.
Success Criteria –
Explain how each part of the digestive system works in sequence, including
how the small intestine is adapted for its function.
Explain why food needs to be digested.
Give a detailed explanation of digestion in sequence.
Key Words- digestive system, digestion, gullet, oesophagus, stomach,

small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus, villi
Think, pair, share…
What do you think this is a photo of?
1 minute
This is what the lining of your stomach looks like under a microscope
The digestive system
The digestive system is a group of organs that work together to
breakdown food.
Why do you think food needs to be broken down before it can be
made useful to us?
The nutrients in most foods are large
molecules (too big to pass into the
body), like lipids and proteins.
During digestion these large Digestion
molecules are broken down into small
molecules, which can then be
absorbed into the body.
The mouth performs two functions:
The Mouth
1. Mechanical digestion
involves chewing – teeth chop and grind
food into small pieces.
2. Mixing food with saliva

saliva starts the break down of
carbohydrates (starch) using an enzyme
called amylase.
Amylase Chemical
digestion
Demonstrate understanding
Task: State what happens during digestion.
1 minute
During digestion large
molecules are broken down
into smaller molecules, which
can be absorbed by the body.
Structures in the digestive system
Task: Watch the video showing the passage of

food through the digestive system. What happens
to the food in each organ?
Mouth- Food is chewed and mixed Gullet (oesophagus)- Food
with saliva. Teeth help to break passes down this tube.
food into smaller pieces.
Large intestine- Food that can’t be Stomach- Food is mixed with

digested (e.g. fibre) goes into the digestive juices and acids (pH 1-2)
large intestine, where water is
absorbed back into the body,
leaving a solid waste of undigested Small intestine- Digestive juices
food called faeces. from the liver and pancreas are
added and digestion is
completed. Small molecules of
nutrients pass through the
intestine wall into the
bloodstream.
Rectum- faeces are stored here
until they leave
Anus- this is a muscular ring
through which faeces pass out of
the body.
The Oesophagus
After being swallowed the food travels down the oesophagus.

This is sometimes called the gullet. It is a strong muscular pipe
which has circular muscles in its walls. These contract and relax
to push the food along this pipe. This is called peristalsis.
Peristalsis
Fibre in your food isn’t digested but adds bulk. Muscles push
against this, forcing food along the gut. Eating lots of fibre-
rich foods such as vegetables and wholemeal bread helps
prevent constipation.
The stomach is a muscular sac
The Stomach which churns the food by
contracting and relaxing.
O
It churns the food with
digestive juices containing
enzymes and stomach acid,
which is strong hydrochloric
acid. This kills harmful micro-
organisms food.
Protease
Liver and Pancreas
The pancreas produces

The liver and the chemicals called digestive
pancreas play enzymes such as:
important part in • Protease - proteins
digestion. The liver
• Carbohydrase (amylase)
produces bile, which
- carbohydrates
helps the digestion of
fat. • Lipase - fats
Small intestine This is where absorption of small soluble
food molecules takes place.
Chemical digestion of carbohydrates and
proteins and fats occur with enzymes.
Lipase enzymes break down fat into fatty
acids and glycerol. Digestion of fat in
the small intestine is helped by bile,
made in the liver. Bile breaks the fat into
small droplets that are easier for the
lipase enzymes to work on.
Lipase
Small intestine - Villi
The small
The small intestine
moleculesneeds
of nutrients produced during digestion pass into
to absorb
thethenutrients
blood stream through
quickly, beforethe
thewall of the small intestine. They are
digested food passes thenout
transported around the body.
of the body.
The small intestine is specially
adapted to this function.
The wall of the small intestine is thin.
It is also covered with tiny structures
called villi. These stick out of the wall
and give it a big surface area. They
also contain bloody capillaries to carry
away the absorbed food molecules.
Activity- Label the digestive system
In pairs, add labels to your diagram of the digestive system using the
cards.
Once you have it checked, label the diagram in your workpack and add
details of the functions of the organs listed.
Task: describe in detail the passage of a cheese
sandwich through the digestive system.
Food is chewed and mixed with saliva in the mouth. Teeth help to
10 minutes break the food into smaller chunks. Food passes down the gullet
into the stomach. Food is churned with digestive juices and acid in
the stomach.
Small molecules pass through the villi of the intestine wall into the
bloodstream in the small intestine.
Water passes back into the body in the large intestine. This leaves a
solid waste of undigested food called faeces. Faeces are stored in
the rectum. They are passed out of the body through the anus.
Task: Describe the adaptations of the small
intestine to its function.
4 minutes
The small intestine has a thin wall,

large surface area due to villi, and
blood capillaries to carry away any
nutrients absorbed.
Digestion Quiz
Use the back of your books

and write the numbers 1 – 11
Try to label the digestive

system without
Looking at your notes.
Digestion Quiz
1. Mouth
Answers 2. Salivary glands
3. Bile duct
4. Liver
5. Pancreas
6. Small intestine
Use the back of your books
7. Oesophagus
and write the numbers 1 – 11
8. Stomach
9. Large intestine
Try to label the digestive
10. Rectum
system without
11. Anus
Looking at your notes.
To finish off
Explain why is it important to eat a fibre – rich diet.
Dietary fibre is not digested. It adds bulk to the food, allowing muscles to
push against this as food is squeezed along the gut. This prevents
constipation.
Assessed homework – for digestion topic
Your task is to design a diet for a typical day for your patient, taking into account their need to
lose weight safely. Use the information table on the next page to help you.
You must select foods to:

• meet the energy needs of the patient for one day. Remember to show all of your
mathematical workings in a clear and concise way.
• ensure all food groups are represented.
• provide three meals, drinks and any snacks you recommend during the day.

Present your day’s diet to the patient in a suitable format, highlighting each of the key features
of the diet you have provided.

8.4.4 Digestive System

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What are the main parts of the digestive system and what is their function?

How does the small intestine help with digestion?

8.4.

Key Words- digestive system, digestion, gullet, oesophagus, stomach,

What do you think this is a photo of?

2. Mixing food with saliva

Task: Watch the video showing the passage of

Large intestine- Food that can’t be Stomach- Food is mixed with

After being swallowed the food travels down the oesophagus.

The pancreas produces

The small intestine has a thin wall,

Use the back of your books

Try to label the digestive

You must select foods to:

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