Digestive System Lab

1. Briefly recap what you did and what you main “take aways” were from the activity.  Include a copy of the data table on the previous page.

I basically cut different lengths of string to represent different parts of the digestive tract. I then attached them together to see the total length of the digestive system.

Mouth: 13cm (green)
Esophagus 41cm (red)
Stomach 18cm (gold )
Small Intestine 660cm (string)
Large Intestine 165cm (white)

2. How does the length of your digestive system compare to your height (if you know your height in feet and inches, convert your height to inches knowing that there are 12 inches in a foot, then multiply it by 0.0254 meters/inch to get your height in meters)? How do you think your digestive system is able to fit inside your abdomen?  

My digestive tract is roughly 8 times my height as it is around 13.7 meters and I am 1.7 meters tall. It is able to fit inside my abdomen as it is curled up. 

3. How long do you think it takes (on average) for food to move through your entire digestive system?  Write down your guess, and then look it up online from a credible source.  Compare your guess to the actual average.  What factors influence the time it takes?

I believe it takes an average of 6hrs for food to move completely through the digestive system. The actual average from eating to elimination is 53 hours. Some major actors that influence this time are the types of foods eaten, how many fluids are consumed, and if any exercise was done.

4. How is digestion different from absorption and what organs are involved in each?

Digestion is the breakdown of foods into smaller particles that can be absorbed by the body. Absorption is that taking in of those particles for the body to use. Organs involved in digestion include the small intestine and the stomach. Organs involved in absorption include, stomach, small intestine, anus, and large intestine.

5. What questions do you have or what things about the digestive system do you want to learn?

I am still baffled as how the whole digestive system is able to fit inside the human body. I want to learn more about the different functions of each of the organs in the digestive system