The digestive system is one long continuous tube that begins in the mouth and ends with the anus. The digestion of a meal takes several hours, utilizes both mechanically, and chemically processes to transform it into usable components.
Components
The major components of this system consist of the:
- Mouth
- Pharynx
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small Intestine
- Large Intestine
In addition, three ancillary organs provide a significant role in assisting the chemical break down of food by secreting important enzymes directly into the first segment of the small intestine:
- Pancreas
- Liver
- Gall Bladder
Process
The process of digestion actually begins in the mouth with the production of salivary enzymes, which chemically break down food into a substance referred to as a bolus. After the bolus is swallowed, wavelike contractions, (peristalsis) moves it through the system by first entering the pharynx (throat).