Digestion

Digestion is the process of breaking down food into smaller, more easily absorbable components that can be used by the body for energy and growth.

Types of Digestion

There are two main types of digestion: mechanical and chemical.

Mechanical Digestion

Mechanical digestion involves the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces. This includes chewing in the mouth and churning in the stomach.

Chemical Digestion

Chemical digestion involves the breakdown of food using enzymes and other chemicals. This occurs in the mouth, stomach, and small intestine.

The Digestive System

The digestive system is a series of organs that work together to break down food and absorb nutrients.

Mouth: Where digestion begins with the process of chewing and the release of saliva containing enzymes.
Esophagus: A tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
Stomach: Where food is mixed with gastric juices and further broken down.
Small Intestine: Where most of the chemical digestion and nutrient absorption takes place.
Large Intestine: Where water and electrolytes are absorbed and waste is formed into feces.

The Process of Digestion

The process of digestion can be broken down into several key steps:

Ingestion: The intake of food through the mouth.
Mechanical digestion: The physical breakdown of food in the mouth and stomach.
Chemical digestion: The breakdown of food using enzymes and other chemicals in the stomach and small intestine.
Absorption: The uptake of nutrients by the cells of the body.
Elimination: The removal of undigested waste as feces.

Key Concepts to Remember

As you study digestion, keep these key concepts in mind:

Enzymes play a crucial role in chemical digestion by breaking down specific nutrients.
The small intestine is the primary site of nutrient absorption, where nutrients pass from the digestive system into the bloodstream.
Fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.
Proper hydration is important for maintaining healthy digestion.

Remember to review and understand the different types of digestion, the function of each organ in the digestive system, and the key steps of the digestion process.

◂Chemistry Worksheets and Study Guides High School. The Science of Chemistry

Worksheet/Answer key

The Science of Chemistry

Worksheet/Answer key

The Science of Chemistry

Worksheet/Answer key

The Science of Chemistry

The resources above cover the following skills:

Nature of Science

The Practice of Science - A: Scientific inquiry is a multifaceted activity; The processes of science include the formulation of scientifically investigable questions, construction of investigations into those questions, the collection of appropriate data, the evaluation of the meaning of those data, and the communication of this evaluation. B: The processes of science frequently do not correspond to the traditional portrayal of ''the scientific method.'' C: Scientific argumentation is a necessary part of scientific inquiry and plays an important role in the generation and validation of scientific knowledge. D: Scientific knowledge is based on observation and inference; it is important to recognize that these are very different things. Not only does science require creativity in its methods and processes, but also in its questions and explanations.

Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge, for example: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science, and do the following:

Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data (this includes the use of measurement in metric and other systems, and also the generation and interpretation of graphical representations of data, including data tables and graphs)