NU 110
NU 110 EXAM 3 - Digestive System, Metabolism, Urinary,
Reproductive & Hereditary (COMPLETEPRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026)
Digestive system functions
- long muscular alimentary canal
- 29 feet long
- nutrients are absorbed into the body and eliminated as waste (feces)
- motility of food and secretion of hormones are tightly regulated
3 pairs of salivary glands
parotid, submandibular, sublingual
accessory organs of the digestive system
- teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
- support digestion
Food is not considered part of the body until it's
Absorbed
Main organs of the digestive system
- mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
- form the canal from mouth to anus known as the alimentary canal
Ingestion
Intake of food into the mouth. Consumption of food into the digestive system.
Digestion
- Chemical and mechanical breakdown of food.
- Breaks complex nutrients into simpler ones, leading to absorption.
Mechanical breakdown
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- includes chewing and peristalsis of the stomach and small intestine
- mash, mix, slosh, and moves food down the digestive system
Chemical breakdown
Particles of food are broken down by chemicals in the mouth, stomach, and small
intestine.
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux disease)
- Contents of the stomach go back up into the esophagus
- Burns and causes pain & irritation in your chest and throat
- Caused by failure of the lower esophageal sphincter
Motility
The process of the muscles in the digestive tract moving the food along caused
by peristalsis
Peristalsis
- waves of muscle contraction and relaxation
- pushes food in the form of a bolus (ball) from mouth towards anus
- movements are different from organ to organ, small vs large intestine
- sound makes a "gurgle" noise, this is what causes "bowel sounds"
Elimination
Removing the leftover waste of the digestive process (feces) from the rectum through
the anus; defecation
Secretion
- Release of digestive juices (containing enzymes, acids, bases, mucus, bile, or other
products that facilitate digestion).
- Some digestive organs release hormones that regulate digestion or metabolism of
nutrients.
Regulation
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- Control of digestive activity
- Examples: Motility, secretion
Upper digestive tract
- mouth
- pharynx
- esophagus
- stomach
Lower digestive tract
- small intestine: duodenum, jejunum, ileum.
- large intestine: cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and the
rectum
Parts of the small intestine:
duodenum, jejunum, ileum
Oral cavity
- Mouth, tongue, teeth
- Lined with mucous membrane
- Used in digestion, speech, and swallowing
Roof of the mouth
Formed from the hard and soft palate
uvula
- small projection hanging from the back middle edge of the soft palate (dangles in the
back of the mouth)
- prevents food from entering the nasal cavity
floor of the mouth
- formed by tongue and its muscles
- anchored the the skull and hyoid bone
Frenulum
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The thin strip of tissue under the middle of your tongue. It connects the midline of the
tongue to the floor of the mouth.
Parotid gland
Salivary gland in the cheek.
Submandibular glands
Salivary gland under the mandible.
Sublingual glands
Salivary gland under the tongue.
Enzyme
An ______ is like a tiny helper in your body (a protein) that makes important jobs
happen much faster. In the digestive system, they help break down food and get out
the nutrients.
Salivary amylase
- Enzyme in saliva which begins chemical breakdown complex carbohydrates
- Produced by the salivary glands
- This enzyme is why chemical digestion starts in the mouth, think of how sugar melts
in your mouth
- Converts starch (polysaccharides) into maltose (disaccharides)
Glucose
The liver is stores ________ in the form of glycogen.
Which of the following is descriptive of mitochondrial function?
Aerobic catabolism
Pepsin
- Released in the stomach
- Released from activation of pepsinogen by HCl
- Starts protein digestion
NU 110
NU 110 EXAM 3 - Digestive System, Metabolism, Urinary,
Reproductive & Hereditary (COMPLETEPRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026)
Digestive system functions
- long muscular alimentary canal
- 29 feet long
- nutrients are absorbed into the body and eliminated as waste (feces)
- motility of food and secretion of hormones are tightly regulated
3 pairs of salivary glands
parotid, submandibular, sublingual
accessory organs of the digestive system
- teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
- support digestion
Food is not considered part of the body until it's
Absorbed
Main organs of the digestive system
- mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
- form the canal from mouth to anus known as the alimentary canal
Ingestion
Intake of food into the mouth. Consumption of food into the digestive system.
Digestion
- Chemical and mechanical breakdown of food.
- Breaks complex nutrients into simpler ones, leading to absorption.
Mechanical breakdown
NU 110
,NU 110
- includes chewing and peristalsis of the stomach and small intestine
- mash, mix, slosh, and moves food down the digestive system
Chemical breakdown
Particles of food are broken down by chemicals in the mouth, stomach, and small
intestine.
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux disease)
- Contents of the stomach go back up into the esophagus
- Burns and causes pain & irritation in your chest and throat
- Caused by failure of the lower esophageal sphincter
Motility
The process of the muscles in the digestive tract moving the food along caused
by peristalsis
Peristalsis
- waves of muscle contraction and relaxation
- pushes food in the form of a bolus (ball) from mouth towards anus
- movements are different from organ to organ, small vs large intestine
- sound makes a "gurgle" noise, this is what causes "bowel sounds"
Elimination
Removing the leftover waste of the digestive process (feces) from the rectum through
the anus; defecation
Secretion
- Release of digestive juices (containing enzymes, acids, bases, mucus, bile, or other
products that facilitate digestion).
- Some digestive organs release hormones that regulate digestion or metabolism of
nutrients.
Regulation
NU 110
,NU 110
- Control of digestive activity
- Examples: Motility, secretion
Upper digestive tract
- mouth
- pharynx
- esophagus
- stomach
Lower digestive tract
- small intestine: duodenum, jejunum, ileum.
- large intestine: cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and the
rectum
Parts of the small intestine:
duodenum, jejunum, ileum
Oral cavity
- Mouth, tongue, teeth
- Lined with mucous membrane
- Used in digestion, speech, and swallowing
Roof of the mouth
Formed from the hard and soft palate
uvula
- small projection hanging from the back middle edge of the soft palate (dangles in the
back of the mouth)
- prevents food from entering the nasal cavity
floor of the mouth
- formed by tongue and its muscles
- anchored the the skull and hyoid bone
Frenulum
NU 110
, NU 110
The thin strip of tissue under the middle of your tongue. It connects the midline of the
tongue to the floor of the mouth.
Parotid gland
Salivary gland in the cheek.
Submandibular glands
Salivary gland under the mandible.
Sublingual glands
Salivary gland under the tongue.
Enzyme
An ______ is like a tiny helper in your body (a protein) that makes important jobs
happen much faster. In the digestive system, they help break down food and get out
the nutrients.
Salivary amylase
- Enzyme in saliva which begins chemical breakdown complex carbohydrates
- Produced by the salivary glands
- This enzyme is why chemical digestion starts in the mouth, think of how sugar melts
in your mouth
- Converts starch (polysaccharides) into maltose (disaccharides)
Glucose
The liver is stores ________ in the form of glycogen.
Which of the following is descriptive of mitochondrial function?
Aerobic catabolism
Pepsin
- Released in the stomach
- Released from activation of pepsinogen by HCl
- Starts protein digestion
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