Human Digestive System Test Questions #

1. Define the term “digestion” and explain why the human body needs to digest food.

2. State the two main types of digestion and give one example of each.

3. Describe the process of ingestion and explain where it takes place in the digestive system.

4. Explain how physical digestion occurs in the mouth. Include the role of different types of teeth.

5. Describe the chemical digestion that takes place in the mouth. Name the enzyme involved and state what it breaks down.

6. State the function of the salivary glands and explain what they secrete.

7. Describe how the stomach carries out physical digestion of food.

8. Explain the chemical digestion that occurs in the stomach. Include:

   1. The enzyme involved
   2. What type of food it breaks down
   3. The role of hydrochloric acid

9. State why hydrochloric acid is present in gastric secretions and explain two functions it performs.

10. Describe the structure of the small intestine and explain why it is divided into two main parts.

11. Complete the table about chemical digestion in the small intestine:

    Enzyme	Food substance broken down	Products formed
    Amylase	_____________	_____________
    _____________	Maltose	_____________
    Protease	_____________	_____________
    _____________	Lipids (fats)	_____________

12. Explain the two main functions of the liver in digestion:

    1. Production of bile
    2. Storage of glycogen

13. Describe the function of bile and explain why it is important for fat digestion, even though it is not an enzyme.

14. State where bile is stored and explain when it is released into the digestive system.

15. Describe the alkaline secretion produced by the pancreas. Include:

    1. The three enzymes it contains
    2. Why the secretion is alkaline

16. Explain why pancreatic juice needs to be alkaline when it enters the duodenum.

17. Define the term “absorption” and explain where it mainly occurs in the digestive system.

18. Describe the main function of the ileum and explain how its structure helps with absorption.

19. Explain the process of absorption that takes place in the colon (large intestine).

20. Define the term “egestion” and describe where this process occurs.

21. Describe the functions of the rectum and anus in the process of egestion.

22. A student eats a sandwich containing bread, cheese, and butter. Describe the journey of this food through the digestive system, explaining what happens to each food component:

    1. Starch from the bread
    2. Protein from the cheese
    3. Fat from the butter

23. Compare the digestion of starch in the mouth and small intestine. Explain:

    1. What enzyme is used in each location
    2. What products are formed in each location
    3. Why starch digestion continues in the small intestine

24. Explain why protein digestion does not begin in the mouth but does begin in the stomach.

25. A person has their gall bladder removed due to illness. Explain:

    1. How this might affect their digestion
    2. Why they can still digest fats normally
    3. What dietary advice might be helpful

26. Describe what happens when food moves from the stomach to the small intestine. Explain:

    1. The condition of the food when it leaves the stomach
    2. How the pancreas helps neutralize the acidity
    3. Why this neutralization is necessary

27. Complete the flow chart showing the breakdown of starch:

    Starch → __________ → __________ → Glucose

    State which enzymes are responsible for each step.

28. Explain the difference between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion, giving two examples of each from different parts of the digestive system.

29. A student claims that “saliva is just water and doesn’t do anything important.” Explain why this statement is incorrect, giving at least three functions of saliva.

30. Describe how the digestive system ensures that all three major food groups (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) are completely broken down and absorbed. Include the organs and enzymes involved for each food group.

31. Complete the table showing where digestive enzymes are produced and found:

    Enzyme	Where it is produced/made	Where it works/is found
    Amylase	_____________	_____________
    _____________	Small intestine	Small intestine
    Protease	_____________	_____________
    Lipase	_____________	_____________

32. Complete the table comparing the production and storage of digestive substances:

    Substance	Produced by	Stored in	Released into
    Bile	_____________	_____________	_____________
    Saliva (containing amylase)	_____________	Not stored	_____________
    Pancreatic juice	_____________	Not stored	_____________