Body Systems Why do we need them? What do they do?

Remember... Cells are the basic building block of ALL living things. Cells form tissues, tissues make up organs, organs make up organ systems, and organ systems allow organisms (living things) to survive.

Digestive System

Why is it important? It breaks down food, and gets nutrients to our blood. Organs involved: Salivary glands, esophagus, liver, stomach, small intestine, large intestine How to take care of it: Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day to keep the system running smoothly. Chew your food thoroughly. Large pieces of food are hard to digest

Digestive Process Digestion starts when you chew your food. The better you chew your food, the easier it will digest. Saliva moisten the food and begins to break it down. When you swallow, the food passes through the esophagus, which leads to the stomach. Chemicals in the stomach break your food down further. After several hours in the stomach, food travels to the small intestine where the remaining nutrients are digested. And nutrients not used (waste), then travel into the large intestine to be removed by the body.

Excretory System

Why is it important? It removes waste from your body. Organs Involved: kidneys, bladder, colon, anus How to take care of it: Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day, eat plenty of fiber

Excretory Process Water travels through the kidneys to be cleansed. From the kidneys, the water travels to the bladder from the ureters tubes. The colon cleanses solid waste. Solid waste then leaves the body through the anus.

Respiratory System

Why Is it important?: Carries oxygen throughout your body and gets rid of carbon dioxide What organs are involved? Trachea, lungs, alveoli, bronchi (nose and mouth too) How to take care of it? DON”T SMOKE!!, don’t exercise to the point where you can’t talk or feel dizzy.

Respiratory Process Begins when you inhale oxygen. Oxygen travels from your nose and mouth, down your trachea, or windpipe. The air then branches out and spreads out through two lubes in each lung called bronchi. Oxygen travels to the bottom of the bronchi to the alveoli, where oxygen is then traded for carbon dioxide (waste). When you exhale, the carbon dioxide travels back through your bronchi and trachea and escapes through your mouth and nose.

Circulatory System

Why is it important? Transports oxygen, nutrients and waste through the body in the blood. Organs Involved: heart, spleen, (arteries, veins, and capillaries too) How to take care of it: Don’t ever smoke. Smoking narrows the blood vessel and cause high blood pressure. Exercise….It’s good for your heart. The heart is a muscle, and exercise makes it stronger.

Circulatory System Blood is carried throughout your body by arteries and veins. Veins bring the blood to the heart. Arteries take the oxygen-rich blood away from the heart, allows the blood to travel through the rest of your body. Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels that exchange oxygen and waste between your veins and arteries. The heart's main function is to pump oxygen- rich blood through the body, and pump oxygen- poor blood from the heart into the lungs.

Skeletal System

Why is it important? Provides support for your body. Many bones also protect organs. Organs Involved: Bones are not organs, but there are 206 bones in an adult human body. How to take care of it: Move and flex your joint through exercise. Get plenty of calcium (drink milk).

Skeletal System Bones are four basic shapes: long (femur), short (wrist), flat (rib), and irregular (vertebrate). Bones and muscles work together at your joints to allow you to move in many directions. You have joints in your wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee, that connect bones

Muscular System

Why is it important? Muscles are attached to your bone and allow you to move. Organs Involved: No organs are involved (except the heart), but these are important muscles: biceps (arms), abdominal (stomach area), hamstring (leg) How to take care of it: Warm up before exercise, and cool down after exercise. Stretch your muscular

Muscular System A muscle has a bulging middle an narrow ends called tendons. The tendons attached the muscle to a bone. Muscles can only pull your bones, they cannot push them. Therefore, muscles work in pairs. For example, your hamstring and quadriceps work together to help you bend your knee. (See page R27 in your book for a visual)

Nervous System

Why is it important? Connects all your tissues and organ to your brain. It carries signals to and from the brain from other parts of the body. Organs Involved: Central Nervous System- brain, spinal cord, nerves, Sensory Organs- eyes, ears, tongue, nose, skin How to take care of it: Don't ever take drugs. Eat a well-balanced diet (your nervous system must have proper nutrients to function). Learn...it builds new nerve connections in your brain!

Nervous System Tells your heart to beat, lungs to breathe, ears to hear, eyes to see, mouth to taste, skin to feel....and so on. Tells you to stop touching something that is hot, or to sweat to cool your body down. Everything your body does, starts by your nervous system telling it to leap into action! Nerves bundle together to make neurons. Neurons collect, receive and send information very quickly around your body. You have almost a trillion neurons in your brain!!

Quiz Time Answer the following questions on a clean sheet of paper. 1) Oxygen enters the body through what system? 2) Which system breaks down food? 3) Which system helps your body remove waste? 4) What two systems help your body move? 5) The bladder is like what part of a cell? 6) What system would tell you to back away from a hot stove?