The Oesophagus

The Stomach

The Small Intestine

The Large Intestine

The Rectum and the Anus

The solid parts of the food which have not been absorbed are stored in the rectum. When the rectum is full, the remains of the food are passed out of the body through the anus.

You now have a general knowledge of what happens to the food in the digestive system. All mammals have a similar digestive system but there are some differences. For example, there is a part of the digestive system which is called the appendix. It is found between the small intestine and the large intestine. The appendix is important in herbivores because it helps them digest plant food. Therefore it is quite large in an animal such as the rabbit. It is less important, however, in the human and is much smaller because of this. Sometimes a human appendix can be swollen and can cause a lot of pain. If this happens there has to be an operation to remove it. A person who has had his appendix taken out can continue to eat the same things as usual. This proves that the appendix is not essential in humans.