Nursing With Ima • Digestive TEAS 7 Lesson

Follow the Path of Food

Follow food through the digestive tract and learn what happens at each major structure along the way.

Before you begin: Food travels through the digestive system in a specific sequence. Your goal is to learn that sequence and understand the main job of each structure along the way.

Follow the Path of Food

Click through each structure to follow food from the mouth to elimination.

Digestive Pathway
Step 1 of 8
1

Mouth

Chewing mechanically breaks food into smaller pieces, while saliva begins carbohydrate digestion. Food becomes a bolus ready to be swallowed.

Think: chewing + saliva → bolus
TEAS TIP

When a question asks, “Where does food go next?” Follow the digestive pathway in order.

Mouth → Pharynx → Esophagus → Stomach

Then remember: Small intestine → Large intestine → Rectum → Anus

Now You Try It

Build the digestive pathway in the correct order. Start with the structure where food enters the digestive tract.

Click the structures below in the correct order.

Quick Memory Connections

  • Mouth = chewing + saliva → bolus
  • Esophagus = peristalsis moves food
  • Stomach = churning + protein digestion → chyme
  • Small intestine = most digestion + nutrient absorption
  • Large intestine = water absorption + waste formation
  • Rectum = stores waste
  • Anus = releases waste

Ready to Go Deeper?

This lesson covers the digestive pathway. The complete Nursing With Ima Digestive System Study Bundle goes beyond the pathway and covers the major digestive concepts you need to know.

Explore the Digestive System Bundle →