PET 2026 · Science

Digestion: movement, breakdown and absorption

Follow food from ingestion and peristalsis to nutrient absorption

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MINDMAPS FOR UPSCPET 2026 · VISUAL REVISION

Digestion: movement, breakdown and absorption

Follow food from ingestion and peristalsis to nutrient absorption

Process flow
Human alimentary canal flow
  1. 1. Mouth and oesophagus

    • Mastication (chewing) breaks food mechanically; saliva moistens it into a bolus.
    • Salivary amylase begins chemical digestion by splitting starch into maltose.
    • Swallowing (deglutition) leads to peristalsis—wave-like muscular contractions.
  2. 2. Stomach: acid and pepsin

    • Peristaltic waves move food along the entire alimentary canal and churn chyme.
    • Gastric glands secrete HCl (acidic medium, kills microbes), pepsinogen and mucus.
    • Active pepsin initiates protein breakdown into peptides; mucus protects the wall.
  3. 3. Small intestine: main absorption

    • Bile emulsifies fat; alkaline digestive secretions help neutralise acidic chyme.
    • Pancreatic and intestinal enzymes complete carbohydrate, protein and lipid digestion.
    • Finger-like villi and microvilli provide a huge surface to absorb most nutrients.
  4. 4. Large intestine and egestion

    • Unabsorbed residue enters the colon, where water and electrolytes are reabsorbed.
    • Symbiotic gut bacteria ferment fibres and synthesise certain vitamins like vitamin K.
    • Remaining semi-solid waste is stored in the rectum and eliminated via the anus.
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Practise this concept · संबंधित प्रश्न

One visual, several questions. These links open the original paper at the matching question.

25 Oct · Shift 1 · 2026

25 Oct · Shift 2 · 2026

Sources & study notes · स्रोत

Independent revision material, linked to the paper’s concepts. The question papers and answer-key status are available on OpenPYQ.