Question

Describe the human alimentary canal.

Answer 1

Human alimentary canal consists of:

1. Mouth - It is the first organ in the sequence which helps in sucking, chewing, salivation and swallowing. The food is ingested through mouth,
2. Pharynx - It is situated behind the soft palate and leads into oesophagus. It is divided into three parts - nasopharynx, oropharyx and laryngopharynx.
3. Oesophagus - It lies upto the middle of the thorax, behind the trachea and the heart. It pushes the food down into the stomach by peristaltic movements,
4. Stomach - It is the widest organ ofthe alimentary canal. It is J - shaped and is divided into three parts: cardiac, body and pyloric.
5. Intestine - It is of two types: small intestine and large intestine. Small intestine is the longest part of the alimentary canal and comprises of three regions - duodenum, jejunum and ileum. It helps in the absorption of food, Large intestine is divisible into three parts - caecum, colon and rectum. It absorbs water from the food.