Duodenum

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/duodenum

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the anatomical divisions?Four parts: superior, descending, transverse, and ascending
2. What is the primary absorption site?Key for iron, calcium, and certain vitamins
3. What is the duodenum and where is it in the body?The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine, about 10-15 inches long. It sits in a C‑shaped curve and holds the head of the pancreas.
4. How does the duodenum turn food into energy?It mixes food with digestive juices and enzymes that break down carbs, proteins, and fats into tiny molecules. It also neutralizes stomach acid with bicarbonate so the enzymes can work.

Chyme: The semi-fluid mass of partly digested food expelled by the stomach into the duodenum.
Villi and Microvilli: Tiny finger-like projections that vastly increase the surface area for nutrient absorption.
Peristalsis: Wave-like muscular contractions that move food through the digestive tract.