Digestive System Lab

Digestive Organ           Color and Length (cm)

Mouth                            Dark green; 10 cm.

Esophagus                              Black; 41 cm.

Stomach                          Maroon; 18.5 cm.

Small Intestine                      White; 640 cm.

Large Intestine                    Yellow; 160 cm.

1. In this activity, I taped together pieces of string the length of my mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. This showed me just how long my digestive tract is. The mouth, esophagus, and stomach were about what I expected, but the small intestine and large intestine were much larger than I expected. I have read many statistics on how long the digestive tract would be when laid out straight, but the visual representation with the string really made it sink in.
2. My digestive system is almost five and a half times as long as I am tall. It can only fit inside my body because it is folded up inside me, almost like a line at an amusement park.
3. The average time it takes for food to pass through the digestive system is one to three days; I guessed one to two days, so my guess was a little short. The time it takes for food to pass through the body varies, however, likely because of the type of food people eat, as well as how much they drink. For example, if someone had a diet high in fiber, their food would probably stay in their bodies longer than someone who had a diet composed mainly of soup.
4. Digestion is the breaking down of food, while absorption is absorbing that food into the body. The mouth and the stomach are involved in digestion, while the small and large intestines (mostly the small intestine) are involved in absorption.
5. I would still like to learn how what role bacteria play in the digestive system, as well as how gastrointestinal disorders (such as Crohn's disease and gastroparesis) work, and how they affect the body.

New Year's Goals

This semester, I will plan for all long-term projects between one or two days after receiving them in order to eliminate procrastination. 

• First, I will read through the assignment to make sure I understand all of the requirements.
• Then, I will plan out what I will do each week, taking into account any appointments or responsibilities I have scheduled.
• After that, I will make a tentative day-by-day schedule (keeping in mind that there will be unexpected changes, but I will still have to get everything planned for that week done).
• Once I make this plan, I will follow through with it. I will make sure not to make excuses in order to push each week's tasks to the weekend, instead sticking to my day-by-day schedule. If I do have to put off anything that day, I will make sure to complete it the next day.

This semester, I will participate in anatomy each day to the best of my ability so I can maximize the amount of things I learn in this class.

• Each class period, if applicable, I will speak up and answer questions at least three times.
• If working on a group project, I will make my opinions and ideas known, and participate at least as much as the others in my group.
• I will always strive to pay attention, take good notes, and complete assignments on time and with maximum effort (I will be able to tell when I am just trying to get something done from when I am genuinely trying to do well).