Ch 3 – The Digestive System Pre-Learning Assessment

In a healthy adult, the small intestine is about three feet long.

Digestion is the process by which the food we eat is broken down into absorbable units.

The gastrointestinal tract includes only the digestive system that runs from the mouth to the end of the stomach.

The small intestine has three segments: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum.

The gastrointestinal tract does not depend on blood for any of its functions.

Large fats and fat-soluble vitamins travel through the lymphatic system before making their way into the bloodstream.

The ileocecal valve allows partially digested food to move from the stomach to the small intestine.

In the small intestine, glucose is absorbed by active transport.

Cholecystokinin speeds up the process of digestion.

The hepatic portal vein moves blood from the digestive system to the liver.

Goblet cells are cells in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs that secrete mucus.

Villi are structures in the esophagus that help move food into the stomach.

In a healthy adult, the gastrointestinal tract can have an estimated 100 trillion microbes.

One function of the liver is to detoxify potentially harmful substances before they reach other body tissues.

An emulsifier is a substance that prevents fats and water from mixing.