Human digestive system

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/human-digestive-system

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. How long is Human digestive system?Approximately 30 feet (9 meters) from mouth to anus
2. What is the scientific name?Systema digestorium
3. What is the key regulatory hormones?Gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), ghrelin, leptin
4. What happens to food when we first see or smell it?When we see or smell food, our brain sends signals that make the stomach ready to work and the mouth start making saliva. Saliva has enzymes that start breaking down carbs and fats.
5. How does the stomach turn food into a mushy mixture called chyme?In the stomach, acid and the enzyme pepsin break proteins, and muscles churn the food into a liquid called chyme. The stomach keeps the acid level very low, from about 1.5 to 3.5.

Peristalsis: Rhythmic muscular contractions that propel food through the digestive tract.
Enteric Nervous System: A complex network of neurons within the gastrointestinal tract that controls digestion.
Gut Microbiota: The community of microorganisms residing in the large intestine, essential for digestion and health.