Download The Digestive System

- Zachary Davis,
Bobby Archambault,
Kristin Cotatgis, Robert Scalisi,
Dawson Clark, and Jacob Cohn
Function
The Digestive System breaks down food
and absorbs nutrients that gives your body
energy. The system begins with food taken
in the mouth, going through the system
(esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large
intestine). The liver and the pancreas are
glands which provide chemicals needed for
digestion, while the gallbladder is a storage
organ.
The Mouth
The mouth is defined in front and at
the sides by the lips, jawbone, teeth
and gums. When a human body is
dehydrated, it’s thirst mechanism
shuts off. Your tongue is germ free
only if it is pink. If it is white, there
is a film of white bacteria.
*
The stomach is the main food
storage tank of the body which is
crescent shape. If it were not for
the stomach’s storage capacity
we would have to eat constantly
instead of just a few times each
day. The stomach has a mixture
of acid, mucus, and digestive
enzymes. The stomach also
stretches when we eat large
meals.
The Gallbladder
The Gallbladder is a small
storage organ located next
to the liver. The job of the
gallbladder is to help digest
food. The gallbladder holds
bile which is needed to
digest fatty foods.
*
All nutrients from the intestines go to the liver. The
liver warms the blood and heats the entire body.
The liver breaks down alcohol and drugs, bacteria,
old blood cells, toxins and excess hormones. It is
located on the right side of the abdomen and is the
biggest gland in the body.
THE SMALL INTESTINE
The small intestine measures 18 to 23
feet long in the average adult and 1 ½ to
2 inches in diameter. The small intestine
is divided into three sections; the
duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum.
First the large intestine (or bowel, colon) is the
last part of the digestive system in vertebrate
animals. The large intestine consists of the cecum,
rectum and anal canal. The large intestine is
about 4 feet (1.5m) long, which is about one fifth
of the whole length of the intestinal canal.
Dear Medulla Oblongata,
 The digestive system has many functions. To start with, there is
the mouth. Without the mouth we wouldn’t be able to eat or drink.
If you weren’t able to eat or drink then you could die of hunger and
dehydration. Without food, our bodies would have no energy.
Next, the stomach is the main food storage tank with digestive
enzymes. The enzymes are important to break down our food.
Then there is the gallbladder which holds bile needed to digest
fatty foods. Without the gallbladder you would not be able to
digest fatty foods.
Subsequently, we have the liver which breaks down alcohol,
drugs, bacteria, old blood cells, toxins, and excess hormones
which can be harmful to the body. Equally important is the
small intestine as ninety percent of what we eat is absorbed
through the small intestine giving us all the nutrients we need
to survive. Finally, the large intestine passes any unused waste
from the body and absorbs vitamins and minerals. In
conclusion, the digestive system has many important functions
for our bodies so we all need our jobs.
Sincerely,
Kristin, Dawson, Robert, Zach, Bobby, and Jacob
Bibliography
Manolis Kay, The Digestive System. Minneapolis, MN,
Bellwether Media, Inc., 2009
Royston Angela, Eating and Digestion. Chicago,
Illinois, Rigby Interactive Library, 1997
Parker Steve, Digestion. Chicago, Illinois, Raintree,
2004