The Food Processing Factory! 🏭
The **digestive system** is a long tube and a set of helper organs that work together to break down the food you eat. Its main job is to turn large food molecules (like fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) into tiny molecules the body can **absorb** and use for energy and growth.
The entire journey, from mouth to end, is called the **Alimentary Canal**, which can be over 9 meters (30 feet) long!
Two Ways to Break Down Food 💥
Digestion happens in two ways as food moves through the body:
1. Mechanical Digestion
This is the **physical** breaking down of food into smaller pieces. This happens with **chewing** in the mouth and the churning and mixing action of the **stomach**.
2. Chemical Digestion
This uses powerful chemicals called **enzymes** to break down large nutrient molecules into small ones. This starts in the mouth (with saliva) and does most of its work in the **stomach** and **small intestine**.
Video: Food's Journey Through the Gut 🎬
Follow a piece of food as it travels through your body.
Practice Problems (Which Organ?)
Read the function and click the organ that performs the job.
⚡ Mechanical or Chemical?
Click on the examples that show **Chemical Digestion** is happening!
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