Gastrointestinal System Essay

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Gasrointestinal system the gastrointestinal system or tract extends from the mouth to the anus and is about 9-10 meters in length other terms to describe this system include the digestive system,alimentary canal 1 structure the gastrointestinal system consists of the mouth,pharynx,oesophagus,stomach,small intestine,large intestine,rectum and anus there are several accessory organs in the gastrointestinal system.they are salivary glands,teeth,liver,gall bladder and pancreas. Function of the digestive system breaks down the food we eat into a form that can be absorbed by the blood and transported to all parts of the body to provide energy and nutrients ingestion is taking in of food,liquids or drug by mouth digestion is the mechanical and chemical break down of food to simple molecules that can be absorbed by the body absorption process by which end products of digestion move across the walls of the gastrointestinal tract into the blood for distribution through out the body 90%of the nutrients absorption takes place in the small intestine with the remaining 10% taking place in the stomach and large intestine absorption takes place through the villi,small structures on the lining of the small intestine the process of digestion food enters the mouth and mastication occurs ( mechanical digestion ) salivary juices begins chemical digestion the food becomes bolus and deglutition occurs ( swallowing ) moving through the pharynx and oesophagus the bolus enters the stomach aided by peristaltic action and gravity the bolus is churned by the process of peristalsis and mixed with gastric juice to become chyme and digestion continues aided by HCL and enzymes found in the gastric juice peristalsis moves the chyme to the small intestine where absorption of vitamins minerals and nutrients occurs through the villi
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