Digestive System Key Terms

The process where the body breaks down food into small nutrient molecules.

• Digestion

• Indigestion

• Homeostasis

• Internal Stimulus

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-7

When food is physically broken down into smaller pieces by tearing, slicing, churning and mixing.

• Digestion

• Mechanical Digestion

• Chemical Digestion

• Saliva

Breaks down food by both mechanical and chemical digestion.

• Feet

• Nose

• Mouth

• Hands

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-7

Chemicals produced by the body that break down food into very small pieces.

• Mechanical digestion

• Indigestion

• Chemical digestion

• Photosynthesis

Fluid in your mouth that helps to break down food.

• Tongue

• Saliva

• mucus

• tonsils

Small flap of tissue that closes off your windpipe to prevent food from entering your lungs.

• Flippity flap

• Tonsils

• Trachea

• Epiglottis

Long muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

• Small intestine

• Large intestine

• Epiglottis

• Esophagus

Waves of muscle contractions that push food toward the stomach.

• Peristalsis

• Frequency

• Hertz

• Wave length

J-shaped organ located in the middle of the abdomen.

• Small Intestine

• Large Intestine

• Liver

• Stomach

The part of the digestive system where most chemical digestion takes place.

• Small Intestine

• Large Intestine

• Pancreas

• Liver