Digestive System lab

1)  In this lab we used ribbon to measure different parts of our digestive system. Obviously they were not exact measurements because we used body parts to base some of the measurements off of. We than stretch them out along the ceiling and realized how long the digestive system ends up being.

DIGESTIVE ORGAN                                        CM

Mouth                                                              26.8

Esophagus                                                       58.9

Stomach                                                          21.4

Small Intestine                                             752.8

Large Intestine                                             188.5

TOTAL

2) My height in meters is 1.8288. My digestive system is able to fit in my abdomen because it is folded up so many times. Specially the small intestine. Mine was about 738 cm and it was all folded up to be able to be fit in my stomach.

3) I would say that it takes about 6 hours for food to digest. I say this because that is just what I have heard all my life as I was growing up. Online it says that it takes about 6-8 hours for food to digest. How much water you drink can also effect your digestive tract.

4) Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breaking down of food into smaller components that can be absorbed into a blood stream while absorption relates to the small intestine which is the site where most of the nutrients from ingested food are absorbed.

5)  How would fiber help the digestive system?Would it speed it up? What enzymes aid in the digestive system?