7.2.1

What is Digestion?

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What is Digestion?

In order to grow, humans and other animals need key nutrients from their food. Key nutrients are things like fats, proteins and simple sugars. We get the nutrients through the process of digestion.

Digestion

Digestion

The nutrients that humans and animals need are often ‘locked-up’ in larger pieces of food.
These nutrients need to be broken down so they can be absorbed into the body.

Digestion

Digestion

Digestion is the process of breaking down and absorbing nutrients.

The Digestive System

The digestive system is one long tube that is coiled up inside our bodies.

Location of the digestive system

Location of the digestive system

The digestive system goes from the mouth to the anus.
- 'Anus' is the word scientists use for our bottoms.

Length of the digestive system

Length of the digestive system

The tube can be up to 9 metres long.

1

Year 3: Plants

1.1

Types of Plants

1.1.1Flowering & Non-flowering Plants

1.2

Parts of a Plant

1.2.1Roots 1.2.2What do Roots do?1.2.3Stem 1.2.4Leaves 1.2.5How Leaves Make Food 1.2.6Flowers

1.3

Pollination

1.3.1Pollination 1.3.2Pollination by Insects 1.3.3Pollination by the Wind

1.4

Seeds

1.4.1Types of Seeds 1.4.2Dispersing Seeds

2

Year 3: Animals (Including Humans)

2.1

Food

2.1.1The Need for Food 2.1.2Food Groups 2.1.3Carbohydrates 2.1.4Proteins 2.1.5Dairy 2.1.6Fruit & Vegetables 2.1.7Fats 2.1.8Junk Food

2.2

Skeletons & Muscles

2.2.1Skeletons & Muscles 2.2.2Healthy Bones

3

Year 3: Rocks

3.1

Rocks on Earth

3.1.1Rocks 3.1.2Fossils

4

Year 3: Light

4.1

What is Light?

4.1.1Light as Energy 4.1.2Reflections 4.1.3Sunlight 4.1.4Shadows

5

Year 3: Forces & Magnets

5.1

Forces

5.1.1What is a Force?5.1.2Contact & Non-Contact Forces 5.1.3Testing Magnetic Materials 5.1.4Attracting & Repelling Magnets 5.1.5Uses of Magnets

6

Year 4: Living Things & Their Habitats

6.1

Grouping Animals

6.1.1Biodiversity & Classification 6.1.2Grouping Animals

6.2

Vertebrates

6.2.1Vertebrates 6.2.2Mammals 6.2.3Reptiles 6.2.4Fish 6.2.5Amphibians 6.2.6Birds

6.3

Invertebrates

6.3.1Invertebrates 6.3.2Insects 6.3.3Spiders 6.3.4Slugs & Snails 6.3.5Worms

6.4

Grouping Plants

6.4.1Grouping Plants 6.4.2Flowering Plants 6.4.3Non-Flowering Plants

6.5

Classification Keys

6.5.1Classification Keys

6.6

Environmental Change

6.6.1Positive Impact of Humans on the Environment 6.6.2Negative Impact of Humans: Deforestation 6.6.3Negative Impact of Humans: Litter 6.6.4Negative Impact of Humans: Overpopulation

7

Year 4: Animals, Including Humans

7.1

Teeth

7.1.1Why Do We Need Teeth?7.1.2'Baby' Teeth 7.1.3Adult Teeth 7.1.4Incisors 7.1.5Canines 7.1.6Premolars 7.1.7Molars

7.2

Digestion

7.2.1What is Digestion?7.2.2The Digestive System - The Mouth 7.2.3The Digestive System - The Stomach 7.2.4The Digestive System - The Small Intestines 7.2.5The Digestive System - The Large Intestines

7.3

Food Chains

7.3.1What are Food Chains?7.3.2Producers, Predators & Prey 7.3.3Herbivores & Carnivores

8

Year 4: States of Matter

8.1

The 3 States of Matter

8.1.1States of Matter 8.1.2Changes of State

8.2

The Water Cycle

8.2.1The Water Cycle 8.2.2Evaporation at Different Temperatures

9

Year 4: Sound

9.1

How Do I Hear?

9.1.1What is Sound?9.1.2Sound Travels to Your Ear

9.2

Pitch

9.3

Volume

9.3.1Volume 9.3.2How Distance Affect Volume

10

Year 4: Electricity

10.1

Uses of Electricity

10.1.1What Uses Electricity?

10.2

Conductors & Insulators

10.2.1Electrical Conductors 10.2.2Electrical Insulators

10.3

Making Circuits

10.3.1What is a Circuit?10.3.2Complete Circuits 10.3.3Electrical Safety

Jump to other topics

1

Year 3: Plants

1.1

Types of Plants

1.1.1Flowering & Non-flowering Plants

1.2

Parts of a Plant

1.2.1Roots 1.2.2What do Roots do?1.2.3Stem 1.2.4Leaves 1.2.5How Leaves Make Food 1.2.6Flowers

1.3

Pollination

1.3.1Pollination 1.3.2Pollination by Insects 1.3.3Pollination by the Wind

1.4

Seeds

1.4.1Types of Seeds 1.4.2Dispersing Seeds

2

Year 3: Animals (Including Humans)

2.1

Food

2.1.1The Need for Food 2.1.2Food Groups 2.1.3Carbohydrates 2.1.4Proteins 2.1.5Dairy 2.1.6Fruit & Vegetables 2.1.7Fats 2.1.8Junk Food

2.2

Skeletons & Muscles

2.2.1Skeletons & Muscles 2.2.2Healthy Bones

3

Year 3: Rocks

3.1

Rocks on Earth

3.1.1Rocks 3.1.2Fossils

4

Year 3: Light

4.1

What is Light?

4.1.1Light as Energy 4.1.2Reflections 4.1.3Sunlight 4.1.4Shadows

5

Year 3: Forces & Magnets

5.1

Forces

5.1.1What is a Force?5.1.2Contact & Non-Contact Forces 5.1.3Testing Magnetic Materials 5.1.4Attracting & Repelling Magnets 5.1.5Uses of Magnets

6

Year 4: Living Things & Their Habitats

6.1

Grouping Animals

6.1.1Biodiversity & Classification 6.1.2Grouping Animals

6.2

Vertebrates

6.2.1Vertebrates 6.2.2Mammals 6.2.3Reptiles 6.2.4Fish 6.2.5Amphibians 6.2.6Birds

6.3

Invertebrates

6.3.1Invertebrates 6.3.2Insects 6.3.3Spiders 6.3.4Slugs & Snails 6.3.5Worms

6.4

Grouping Plants

6.4.1Grouping Plants 6.4.2Flowering Plants 6.4.3Non-Flowering Plants

6.5

Classification Keys

6.5.1Classification Keys

6.6

Environmental Change

6.6.1Positive Impact of Humans on the Environment 6.6.2Negative Impact of Humans: Deforestation 6.6.3Negative Impact of Humans: Litter 6.6.4Negative Impact of Humans: Overpopulation

7

Year 4: Animals, Including Humans

7.1

Teeth

7.1.1Why Do We Need Teeth?7.1.2'Baby' Teeth 7.1.3Adult Teeth 7.1.4Incisors 7.1.5Canines 7.1.6Premolars 7.1.7Molars

7.2

Digestion

7.2.1What is Digestion?7.2.2The Digestive System - The Mouth 7.2.3The Digestive System - The Stomach 7.2.4The Digestive System - The Small Intestines 7.2.5The Digestive System - The Large Intestines

7.3

Food Chains

7.3.1What are Food Chains?7.3.2Producers, Predators & Prey 7.3.3Herbivores & Carnivores

8

Year 4: States of Matter

8.1

The 3 States of Matter

8.1.1States of Matter 8.1.2Changes of State

8.2

The Water Cycle

8.2.1The Water Cycle 8.2.2Evaporation at Different Temperatures

9

Year 4: Sound

9.1

How Do I Hear?

9.1.1What is Sound?9.1.2Sound Travels to Your Ear

9.2

Pitch

9.3

Volume

9.3.1Volume 9.3.2How Distance Affect Volume

10

Year 4: Electricity

10.1

Uses of Electricity

10.1.1What Uses Electricity?

10.2

Conductors & Insulators

10.2.1Electrical Conductors 10.2.2Electrical Insulators

10.3

Making Circuits

10.3.1What is a Circuit?10.3.2Complete Circuits 10.3.3Electrical Safety

Practice questions on What is Digestion?

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

1
Why do nutrients need to be broken down in digestion?Multiple choice
2
Which of these is true about digestion?True / false
3
How long can the digestive system be?Multiple choice

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Molars

The Digestive System - The Mouth