| A | B |
|---|
| digestion | the process by which your body breaks down food into small nutrient molecules |
| absorption | the process by which nutrient molecules pass through the wall of your digestive system and into your blood |
| saliva | the fluid released in your mouth that aid in mechanical and chemical digestion |
| enzyme | a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in your body |
| epiglottis | a flap of tissue that seals off the windpipe |
| esophagus | a muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach |
| mucus | a thick, slippery substance that makes food easier to swallow and be moved along |
| peristalsis | involuntary waves of contraction that push food toward the stomach |
| stomach | a muscular, J-shaped organ that holds food after it leaves the esophagus |
| small intestine | the part of the digestive system where most chemical digestion takes place |
| liver | the largest and heaviest organ in the body |
| bile | a substance produced in the liver that breaks up fat particles |
| gall bladder | the organ that stores bile |
| pancreas | a triangular organ that lies between the stomach and the first part of the small intestine |
| villi | tiny finger-shaped structures that line the small intestine |
| large intestine | the last section of the digestive system after the small intestine |
| rectum | the short tube that makes up the end of the large intestine |
| anus | a muscular opening at the end of the rectum |
