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Lesson 1 Food Digestion

Doc-0 – Introduction
Food is constituted of complex large compounds. In order to be taken by the blood and used by
the body, it needs to be cut down and transformed to simpler molecules.
The simplest form of food is called “nutrient”.

Digestion: The process by which large complex food is broken down into simple nutrients that
can be absorbed (taken) by the blood.

- Digestion takes place by the

cooperation of two types:

 Mechanical: Break down

large pieces into smaller ones.

 Chemical: Transform of
complex food into simpler
nutrients by specific juices.

Chemicals inside the

juices cut the bonds to
transform complex food
to simpler nutrients

Chemical Digestion
Complex Food Molecule Nutrients

Chemical Digestion Scheme

 Doc-1 – Digestive System of a Mammal: The Mouse

A body system is made of many organs that have a specific function.

The Digestive System is the body system responsible for digestion.

It can be divided into two parts:

A. Digestive Tube: the organs that the food passes inside them.
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 At the beginning, food is eaten by entering the mouth. Then, food passes by the esophagus to
reach the stomach. After that, food reaches the small intestine going to the large intestine.
The undigested food is removed (expelled / elimanted) out of the body by the anus in the
form of stool.
The document below shows a scheme of the digestive system of a mouse.
The organs of the digestive tube are labeled A to F.

Application 1
1. Referring to the text, Label on the figure organs (A) to (F).
2. List, using arrows, the organs of the digestive tube in order.

 Other Functions of the organs:

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  Small intestine:
- 1st Function: Digestion
- 2nd Function: Absorption of Nutrients.
Absorption: passing of small simple nutrients from the small intestine to the blood.
 Large intestine:
- In the large intestine, there is NO DIGESTION.
- 1st Function: Absorption of water and minerals.
- 2nd Function: Formation of stool from non-digested food
and wastes.

B. Accessory Organs: the organs that helps in both mechanical

and chemical digestion but food does not pass inside them.
1. Teeth:
- Found inside the mouth
- Help in mechanical digestion by cutting and grinding the food,
2. Salivary Gland
- Located under the mouth
- Helps in chemical digestion by secreting Saliva Juice to the mouth
3. Gastric Gland
- Located beside the stomach
- Helps in chemical digestion by secreting Gastric Juice to the stomach
4. Intestinal Gland
- Located in the small intestine
- Helps in chemical digestion by secreting intestinal juice into the small intestine
5. Pancreas:
- Found below the stomach
- Helps in chemical digestion by secreting Pancreatic Juice to the small intestine

Application 2 Pick out:

a. The name of food in their simplest form: ________________________________
b. The organ where absorption of nutrients takes place ________________________
c. The form (name) of the undigested eliminated food _________________________

Summary Table

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Fill in the following table.
In the “Types of digestion” column, Write “C” for chemical digestion ; “M” for mechanical
digestion ; “NA” for no digestion.

Type of
Organ Other Functions Juices
Digestion
Mouth

Esophagus

Stomach

Small Intestine

Large Intestine

METHOD SHEET (1)

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 Season \ % food Small rodents
Grasshopper Fruits
In spring 80 5 8
Compare = (similarities
In fall /common)37+ (Differences /8contrast) if exist.
50
In summer 30 15
In case of quantities, Use : More than, less than, equal to. 50
You need to writeInthe
winter 80
values (numbers) and units. 0 20

Compare
In case of qualities, Use : same as , identical, both, similarly,
while, but, on the other hand, on the contrary, whereas, …

Distinguish /Differentiate /Contrast: Just write the differences

i- If you forget the key word (more than, while,…), you will get zero.
ii- If you forget the values : -1/2pt
iii- If You forget the units : -1/4pt
iv- If you write the values with the key word only without a complete sentence
you will get zero.
v- If you forget to link two comparisons statements with a connecting word: - 1/2pt
The connecting words: While, but, on the other hand, on the contrary, whereas.

APPILICATION 1

1. Compare the % of insects eaten by the fox

between spring & summer.

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

2. Compare the % of small rodents eaten by the fox between autumn & winter.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

APPLICATION 2
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 1. Compare the % of grasshoppers eaten in spring to those in summer.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Compare the % of small rodents to those of the fruits eaten in summer.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

APPLICATION 3

Compare the % of fruits & small rodents consumed by the fox between winter & summer.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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