Digestive System Vocabulary

Front

What is the small flap of tissue that closes off your windpipe to prevent food from entering your lungs?

Back

Epiglottis

Front

What are the waves of muscle contractions that push food toward the stomach called?

Back

Peristalsis

Front

What is the process where the body breaks down food into small nutrient molecules?

Back

Digestion

Front

What is the J-shaped organ located in the middle of the abdomen?

Back

Stomach

Front

What is the process called when food is physically broken down into smaller pieces by tearing, slicing, churning, and mixing?

Back

Mechanical Digestion

Front

What is the term for the chemical process that breaks down food into simpler substances?

Back

Chemical Digestion

Front

What is the long tube that connects the throat to the stomach?

Back

Esophagus

Front

What organ produces bile to help digest fats?

Back

Liver

Front

What is the primary function of the small intestine?

Back

Nutrient absorption

Front

What is the role of saliva in digestion?

Back

It begins the chemical breakdown of food.