What are the functions of following organs in digestive process mouth esophagus stomach small intestine large and rectum?
Mouth
* Mechanical digestion: Teeth break down food into smaller pieces, increasing the surface area for enzymes to work.
* Chemical digestion: Saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that begins to break down carbohydrates.
Esophagus
* Transports food from the mouth to the stomach.
* Peristalsis: a series of involuntary muscle contractions that push food down the esophagus.
Stomach
* Mechanical digestion: The stomach muscles churn and mix food with gastric juices, further breaking it down.
* Chemical digestion: Gastric juices contain hydrochloric acid, which kills bacteria, and pepsin, an enzyme that begins to break down proteins.
Small intestine
* Mechanical digestion: The small intestine continues to mix and churn food, breaking it down even further.
* Chemical digestion: The small intestine produces enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
* Absorption: The small intestine absorbs nutrients from food into the bloodstream.
Large intestine
* Absorption: The large intestine absorbs water, electrolytes, and some vitamins.
* Formation of feces: The large intestine stores waste products until they are eliminated through the rectum.
* Bacterial fermentation: Bacteria in the large intestine break down complex carbohydrates, producing gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide.
Rectum
* Storage of feces until elimination.
* Defecation: The rectum contracts to expel feces from the body.