As the food is being ground and coated with saliva, it's passed over the taste buds, which in turn send messages to the brai

n. The brain uses this information to decide whether or not the food should be swallowed. The food is then gathered into a ball, called a bolus, and it is pushed down into the pharynx by way of the tongue.

This bolus of "Thanksgiving meal" is then passed down the esophagus, the esophagus being a 24cm long tube which connects the pharynx and stomach. Lining the walls of the esophagus are rings of muscle which contract in waves, pushing the bolus down the length of the esophagus. At the base of the esophagus, where the esophagus and stomach join, a thick ring of muscle called a sphincter, is found. This sphincter acts like a valve, as it allows food to pass into the stomach but does not permit it to pass back up through the esophagus.

These vitamins and minerals will be used throughout the rest of the body, once they have been placed into the bloodstream.

T

Some common words found in the essay are:
Digestive Process, vitamins minerals, hydrochloric acid, passed colon, intestine process, digestive system, esophagus stomach, intestine chyme, gastric fluids, esophagus esophagus, aids break-down,
Approximate Word count = 587
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)