Definitions [52]
Define with examples: Carnivores
The organisms which feed upon other animals and animal products.
Examples - tiger, lion, cat, etc.
Define digestion.
It is the breaking down of complex insoluble food components into simple soluble substances.
Define with examples: Omnivores
The organisms which feed on all kinds of plant and animal food are called omnivores.
Examples - Cockroach and human beings.
Define with examples: Autotrophs
These are the organisms which prepare organic food in their body from simple inorganic materials like carbon dioxide, water, etc.
Example - green plants and certain protests.
Define with examples: Herbivores
The organisms that feed on plants only are termed as herbivores.
Examples - sheep, cow, goat, etc.
Define the following term:
Peristalsis
Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscles of the alimentary canal that pushes the food along the gut.
Write short answers
Define homodont dentition.
A homodont dentition all the teeth in the jaws are similar in shape and structures,
E.g. in frogs and fish.
Define the following term :
Pylorus
Pylorus is the passage at the lower end of the stomach that opens into the duodenum.
Define the following term :
Omnivore
Omnivores are organisms that consume both plants and animals.
Define the following term:
Assimilation
Absorption of substances which are built into other compounds in the organisms.
Define the following term:
Kilocalorie
A kilocalorie is a unit of energy. It is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1 Celsius.
Define the following term:
Egestion
Egestion — The process of removal of the undigested food from the body is defined as egestion.
Define the following term:
Digestion
Digestion — The process of breaking the food into smaller and simpler substances so that they can be easily used by the body is called digestion.
Define the term nutrition.
The process by which living beings receive food and utilise it to grow and become healthy is called nutrition.
On the basis of nutrition, living beings can be classified into the following types:
- Holozoites
- Parasites
- Saprophytes
- Symbionts
Holozoits can be further classified into
- herbivores
- carnivores
- ommivores
Define the following term:
assimilation
Assimilation — The process of using the digested food by the body is called assimilation.
Define the term ‘digestion’.
The process of converting complex food substances into simpler and smaller units so that they can be easily utilised by the body is defined as digestion.
E.g. proteins are converted to amino acids.
Define with examples: Heterotrophs
The organisms which cannot prepare their own food and depends on ready-made food synthesized by green plants are called heterotrophs.
Examples - animals and human beings.
Define the following term:
Digestion
Digestion — The process of breaking the food into smaller and simpler substances so that they can be easily used by the body is called digestion.
Define with examples: Carnivores
The organisms which feed upon other animals and animal products.
Examples - tiger, lion, cat, etc.
Define digestion.
It is the breaking down of complex insoluble food components into simple soluble substances.
Define with examples: Omnivores
The organisms which feed on all kinds of plant and animal food are called omnivores.
Examples - Cockroach and human beings.
Define with examples: Autotrophs
These are the organisms which prepare organic food in their body from simple inorganic materials like carbon dioxide, water, etc.
Example - green plants and certain protests.
Define with examples: Herbivores
The organisms that feed on plants only are termed as herbivores.
Examples - sheep, cow, goat, etc.
Define the following term:
Peristalsis
Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscles of the alimentary canal that pushes the food along the gut.
Write short answers
Define homodont dentition.
A homodont dentition all the teeth in the jaws are similar in shape and structures,
E.g. in frogs and fish.
Define the following term :
Pylorus
Pylorus is the passage at the lower end of the stomach that opens into the duodenum.
Define the following term :
Omnivore
Omnivores are organisms that consume both plants and animals.
Define the following term:
Assimilation
Absorption of substances which are built into other compounds in the organisms.
Define the following term:
Kilocalorie
A kilocalorie is a unit of energy. It is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1 Celsius.
Define the following term:
Egestion
Egestion — The process of removal of the undigested food from the body is defined as egestion.
Define the term nutrition.
The process by which living beings receive food and utilise it to grow and become healthy is called nutrition.
On the basis of nutrition, living beings can be classified into the following types:
- Holozoites
- Parasites
- Saprophytes
- Symbionts
Holozoits can be further classified into
- herbivores
- carnivores
- ommivores
Define the following term:
assimilation
Assimilation — The process of using the digested food by the body is called assimilation.
Define the term ‘digestion’.
The process of converting complex food substances into simpler and smaller units so that they can be easily utilised by the body is defined as digestion.
E.g. proteins are converted to amino acids.
Define with examples: Heterotrophs
The organisms which cannot prepare their own food and depends on ready-made food synthesized by green plants are called heterotrophs.
Examples - animals and human beings.
Define the following:
Excretion
During different metabolic activities taking place in our body, the body produces many substances, of which some are useful and some are useless.
The process of removing useless and harmful metabolic waste substances is called excretion.
The process of removal of chemical wastes (Mainly Nitrogenous) from the body is known as ''excretion''. It plays an important role in maintaining the homeostatic (steady-state) condition of the body.
Define the following term:
Kidney
Kidneys are the primary excretory organs, eliminating nitrogenous wastes (chiefly urea) from the blood and throwing it out in the form of urine.
Define the following:
Excretory organs
During different metabolic activities taking place in our body, the body produces many substances of which some are useful and some are useless.
If retained in the body the unwanted substances may become poisonous and cause much harm and in severe cases, even death. The organs which remove these unwanted and toxic substances from the body are called excretory organs.
The apex of each pyramid in the medulla of the kidney that projects into the pelvis is called the papilla.
The kidney is composed of an enormous number of minute tubules called uriniferous tubules or nephrons or renal tubules or just kidney tubules. These are the structural and functional units of the kidney.
The glomerulus is a knot-like network of blood capillaries located inside the Bowman's capsule, where blood filtration occurs.
Bowman's capsule is a thin-walled, cup-shaped structure in the nephron that surrounds the glomerulus and collects the filtrate from the blood.
The Malpighian capsule is the combined structure of the Bowman's capsule and glomerulus, forming the filtration unit of the nephron.
Selective absorption is the process by which only useful substances like glucose, some salts, and water are absorbed from the renal tubule back into the blood, without disturbing its normal concentration.
Define the following term:
Ultrafiltration
The blood flows through the glomerulus under great pressure which causes the liquid part of the blood to filter out from the glomerulus into the renal tubule. This filtration under high force is called Ultrafiltration.
Define the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR).
Glomerular filtration rate is the amount of glomerular filtrate formed in all the nephrons of both kidneys per minute. In a healthy individual, it is about 125 ml/minute.
Define the following:
Dialysis
The artificial process which cleans and filters the blood in a person where one or both the kidney may stop working properly is called dialysis.
Define the following:
Nephron
Inside the kidney, there are millions of microscopic tubes called renal tubules or nephrons. It is the structural and functional unit of the kidney.
Glomerular filtrate is the fluid formed after ultrafiltration that enters the renal tubule and contains water, urea, salts, glucose, and other small molecules.
Tubular secretion is the active transfer of certain substances, such as ions and drugs, from the blood into the renal tubule during urine formation.
Ultrafiltration is the process in which blood is filtered under high pressure in the glomerulus, allowing water and small solutes to pass into the Bowman’s capsule.
Dialysis is a medical process in which nitrogenous wastes and toxic substances are removed from the blood using an artificial machine when the kidneys fail to function properly.
An artificial kidney is a dialysis machine that removes urea and excess salts from the blood when both kidneys fail, and returns the purified blood back into the body.
Key Points
- Digestion is the conversion of complex food into soluble forms that can be absorbed into the blood.
- The digestive system has two main components: the alimentary canal (mouth to anus) and associated digestive glands.
- The alimentary canal is a long muscular tube about 9 m in adults, including mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus.
- Salivary glands, liver and pancreas are accessory digestive glands that open into this canal and secrete juices needed for digestion.
- Different organs of the digestive system act in sequence; each stage of digestion occurs in a specific organ that performs a specialised mechanical or chemical role.
- The stomach is a muscular J‑shaped sac in the upper left abdomen, between oesophagus and small intestine.
- It has four regions: cardiac, fundus, body and pyloric, each with specific roles in food storage and mixing.
- The body region mainly stores food, churns it and mixes it with gastric juice to form chyme.
- The pyloric region opens into the duodenum and its pyloric sphincter controls the release of chyme.
- The cardiac (lower oesophageal) and pyloric sphincters prevent backflow and regulate movement of food, so regurgitation is avoided.
- The large intestine has a wider diameter than the small intestine.
- It is the terminal part of the alimentary canal.
- It is divided into three main parts: caecum, colon and rectum.
- The rectum opens to the outside through the anus.
- Only minimal digestion occurs here, but water and electrolytes are absorbed efficiently.
- Digestion is the conversion of complex food into soluble forms that can be absorbed into the blood.
- The digestive system has two main components: the alimentary canal (mouth to anus) and associated digestive glands.
- The alimentary canal is a long muscular tube about 9 m in adults, including mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus.
- Salivary glands, liver and pancreas are accessory digestive glands that open into this canal and secrete juices needed for digestion.
- Different organs of the digestive system act in sequence; each stage of digestion occurs in a specific organ that performs a specialised mechanical or chemical role.
- Absorption of nutrients occurs via passive and active transport across the intestinal mucosa.
- In the mouth/buccal cavity, certain drugs that contact the mucosa (e.g., under the tongue) are absorbed directly into blood capillaries.
- In the stomach, a small amount of water, simple sugars, electrolytes, alcohol and some drugs (like aspirin) are absorbed.
- The small intestine is the main site of absorption; final products of digestion such as glucose, fructose, fatty acids, glycerol and amino acids enter blood and lymph here.
- Lipids and fat‑soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are absorbed via micelles, converted to chylomicrons in intestinal mucosa, taken up by lacteals in villi and then released into the bloodstream.
- The large intestine absorbs most of the remaining water, some minerals and certain drugs.
- The large intestine has a wider diameter than the small intestine.
- It is the terminal part of the alimentary canal.
- It is divided into three main parts: caecum, colon and rectum.
- The rectum opens to the outside through the anus.
- Only minimal digestion occurs here, but water and electrolytes are absorbed efficiently.
- Humans have two bean-shaped kidneys, located on either side of the backbone and protected by the last two ribs.
- The right kidney is slightly lower than the left due to the position of the liver.
- Each kidney has a hilum where the ureter, renal artery, and renal vein are connected.
- Internally, the kidney has an outer cortex and an inner medulla made up of conical structures called renal pyramids.
- The kidney contains numerous nephrons (uriniferous tubules), which are the structural and functional units responsible for urine formation.
- Each kidney contains about 2 million uriniferous tubules, each 4–5 cm long, with a total length of over 60 km aiding reabsorption.
- The Malpighian capsule is formed by Bowman’s capsule and glomerulus, where filtration begins.
- Proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) in the cortex is the first site of reabsorption; Loop of Henle extends into medulla and helps in water conservation.
- Distal convoluted tubule (DCT) opens into the collecting duct, which transports urine to the pelvis.
- Blood flows through the kidneys about 350 times a day, filtering approximately 160 litres of fluid daily, most of which is reabsorbed.
- The kidneys produce around 1.2 litres of urine per day, and their blood supply involves afferent and efferent arterioles along with capillary networks.
- Kidneys are the main excretory organs that remove urea and other nitrogenous wastes from the blood in the form of urine.
- Skin eliminates small amounts of urea, salts, and water through sweat, mainly for body cooling.
- Lungs excrete carbon dioxide through exhaled air, playing a key role in gaseous waste removal.
- Liver helps in detoxification by converting ammonia to urea and breaking down toxins like alcohol and drugs.
Concepts [19]
- Human Organ System
- Human Digestive System
- The Mouth and Buccal Cavity
- The Teeth and Its Structure
- The Salivary Glands
- Swallowing and Peristalsis
- The Food Pipe/Oesophagus
- The Stomach
- The Small Intestine
- Human Digestive System
- Absorption of Food
- Assimilation of Food
- The Large Intestine
- Human Excretory System
- Kidney and Its Internal Structure
- Structure of a Kidney Tubule (Nephrons)
- Function of the Kidney - “Production of Urine”
- The Excretory Organs
- Dialysis and Artificial Kidney
