Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) Biology Practice Test

Which process in the human digestive system involves transporting food to another organ?

1. Absorption of nutrients

2. Mechanical breakdown of food

3. Elimination of wastes

4. Transportation of food

The correct answer is: Transportation of food

The process that specifically involves transporting food to another organ is accurately identified here. In the human digestive system, transportation of food primarily occurs through the esophagus, a muscular tube that connects the throat (pharynx) with the stomach. This process follows ingestion, where food is chewed and mixed with saliva, forming a bolus. The bolus then moves down the esophagus via a series of coordinated muscle contractions known as peristalsis, which propel the food into the stomach for further digestion. The other processes listed do not focus on the act of transportation. Absorption of nutrients occurs later in the digestive process, mainly within the small intestine, where digested nutrients pass through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream. Mechanical breakdown refers to the physical actions taken to reduce food size, such as chewing and churning in the stomach, but this does not entail moving food to a different organ. Elimination of wastes pertains to the removal of undigested material and byproducts from the body, which occurs in the large intestine and rectum, following nutrient absorption. Thus, while all these processes are essential to digestion, the transportation of food directly addresses the movement of food between organs, specifically from one organ to the next in the digestive tract.