Getting Down With The Human Alimentary Canal Quiz

Answer: mouth

The aperture between the lips is known as the oral orifice. Digestion actually begins before you place food into your mouth due to smelling of the food which allows the salivary glands to secrete digestive enzymes. The epiglottis functions to assist in swallowing and in breathing. The uvula assists in closing the nasopharynx during swallowing.

Answer: pharynx

The pharynx has dual functions. One function is a digestive one in that it holds the food from the mouth to allow the muscles of the pharynx to help with chewing, while the other is a respiratory function where air from the nasal passages empties into the nasopharynx.

The oropharynx is the area directly behind the mouth. Since the nasopharynx has a respiratory function, food shouldn't be going in that direction anyway.

Answer: esophagus

The esophagus pierces the diaphragm just to the left of the vertical center of the body. It is covered in front and to the sides by peritoneum, and is also accompanied by the vagal trunks from the vagus nerve (cranial nerve X). When doing barium studies your medical doctor looks for closing of the esophagus and to see which area may need to be stretched.

Answer: Cardiac sphincter

The cardiac sphincter is also known as the cardioesophageal sphincter, and controls the direction that food passes as it enters from the esophagus to the stomach.

The sphincter of Oddi, also known as Glisson's sphincter, is an area of muscle fibers that control the bile and pancreatic passages as they move up the wall of the duodenum. The anal sphincter stays closed to prevent digested food from exiting the body when operating normally.

Answer: pyloric sphincter

The main purpose of the pyloric sphincter is to prevent food reflux back into the stomach. It also helps food that could still be too large, or may not have been digested enough to enter the large intestine, to remain in the small intestine. The terminal ileum is the last area of the small intestine just before food exits the small intestine.

Answer: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum

Most digestion occurs in the small intestine. The duodenum was given its name because its length is about the same as the width of twelve fingers. In Latin, jejunus means empty. The ileum, in Latin, means rolled up or twisted.

Answer: ileocecal valve

The ileocecal valve is the only place in the entire gastrointestinal tract where bile acid and Vitamin B2 is absorbed. The ileocecal valve is so named because it arises from the ileum of the small intestine to the cecum of the large intestine.

Answer: large intestine

The porta hepatis is merely a groove in the bottom surface of the liver that allows nerves and blood vessels to enter or exit the liver. The lesser omentum is two layers of pale, yellow membrane that starts from the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach. The greater omentum's main function is that it holds large deposits of fat.

Answer: ascending colon

The ascending colon carries feces from the cecum to the transverse colon upward, and is situated on the right side of the body. The transverse colon runs on top of the abdominal cavity from the right hepatic flexure to the left splenic flexure. The descending colon moves down from the left splenic flexure to the sigmoid flexure.

Answer: anus

The anal canal is situated between the rectum and the anus. The anus is the last opening of the alimentary canal. The haversian canals are located in compact bone. Blood vessels and nerves usually pass through them.