Question

What is the complete pathway for food through the alimentary canal beginning with the oral cavity?

Answer 1

Food passage begins in the oral cavity with mastication and moves through the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, ending with expulsion through the anus. Along this pathway, various digestive processes involve the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food, leading to nutrient absorption and waste elimination.

Step-by-step explanation:

Complete Pathway of Food Through the Alimentary Canal

The alimentary canal, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or gut, is the continuous tube through which food travels and is processed in the body. The pathway for food begins at the oral cavity or mouth, where food enters and undergoes both mechanical and chemical digestion. Mastication, or the chewing action of the teeth, breaks down food into smaller particles which are mixed with saliva containing digestive enzymes. This forms a bolus which is then swallowed.

From the oral cavity, the ingested bolus passes to the pharynx and then through the esophagus via a wave-like motion known as peristalsis. The esophagus delivers the bolus to the stomach, where it is further broken down by stomach acid and enzymes. After the stomach, the partly digested food enters the small intestine, which is the primary site for nutrient absorption.

Once the absorption process in the small intestine is completed, the remaining waste products move on to the large intestine where water is absorbed and the waste is formed into feces. The waste then travels to the rectum and is finally expelled from the body via the anus. The accessory organs such as the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder contribute to digestion through the secretion of bile and other digestive enzymes that aid in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients.

Answer 2

oral cavity (mouth), esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine,

Step-by-step explanation:

Digestion may be defined as the process of breakdown of large food particle into simpler substances with the help of digestive enzymes and juices.

The process of food breakdown starts from the mouth. The physical breakdown of food helps with the mastication of teeth. The salivary amylase breaks down carbohydrate into mouth. Food then passes down to the esophagus with the help of peristaltic movements. The food then enters in the stomach forms chyme with the help of mixing of food with gastric juice. Hydrochloric acid kills the harmful bacteria in the stomach. The food then passes into the small intestine ( duodenum, jejunum and ileum). The bile juice, pancreatic juice and various enzymes are present in the small intestine. The carbohydrates are breakdown into simple sugars, proteins into amino acid and fatty acid into simple fats. The maximum absorption and complete digestion occur in the small intestine. The excess material and waste product passes into the large intestine and excrete out from the body through rectum.