Digestive System
Digestion starts when food is put into the mouth and then the salivary glands are put into action; they do this by secreting saliva which helps soften and break down the food. The teeth also play an important role in digestion; teeth further help break down the food so that it is small enough to swallow. The tongue helps push back the bolus which is another word for chewed food.
The soft palate moves upward to block off the entrance to the back nasal passage when a person is swallowing food. The uvula helps with swallowing by preventing pieces of food from entering the nasal cavity; the uvula produces saliva to break down food.
The hard palate is connected with the nasal cavity which makes it easy for the person to breathe while eating. Next, food is moved through the esophagus into the the stomach by a wavelike motion known as, peristalsis. In the stomach food is broken down by gastric juices which later form chyme. The chyme is then pushed through the small intestine, starting with the duodenum. This is where the accessory organs do their job. For example, the pancreas will produce enzymes that help break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Next, the liver will produce bile; the bile helps with the digestion of fats. Lastly, the gallbladder simply stores bile and later secretes the bile into the small intestine through bile ducts. After the chyme passes through the duodenum, then it will pass through the jejunum. In the jejunum, the