Final answer:
The alimentary canal, or GI tract, includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus, with food digestion and nutrient absorption occurring throughout these organs. Accessory digestive organs are also essential but not part of this canal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alimentary canal, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, is the continuous tube through which food is processed in the human body. The primary organs of the alimentary canal, in sequential order from where food enters to where waste exits, are:
- Mouth - Beginning of the GI tract, where ingestion occurs and mechanical digestion begins with chewing.
- Pharynx - Connects the mouth to the esophagus and acts as a passageway for food.
- Esophagus - A muscular tube that transports food from the pharynx to the stomach.
- Stomach - A sac-like organ where chemical digestion of proteins begins.
- Small Intestine - Digestion is completed here and most nutrients are absorbed.
- Large Intestine - Absorbs water and forms feces.
- Rectum - Stores feces.
- Anus - Terminal point of the GI tract where feces are expelled.
These organs are lined with four basic tissue layers: the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and serosa, facilitating the digestive processes.
Accessory Digestive Organs
Accessory digestive organs, which include the teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, play vital roles in the digestion of food but are not part of the alimentary canal.