| Questions | 5 |
| Topics | Consumers, Health Benefits of Vitamins & Minerals, Liver, Small Intestine, Tendons & Ligaments |
Most animals consume other organisms to survive. Consumers (heterotrophs) are divided into three types, primary, secondary, and tertiary, based on their place in the food chain.
| Vitamin / Mineral | Sources | Health Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), spinach. | Aids bone growth and repair, muscle function. |
| Iron | Red meat, beans, whole grains. | Allows red blood cells to transfer oxygen to body tissues. |
| Magnesium | Nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables. | Muscle, nerve, and enzyme function. |
| Potassium | Bananas, nuts, seeds. | Helps balance fluid levels in the body. |
| Vitamin A | Liver, milk, eggs, carrots. | Vision, immune system, cell growth. |
| Vitamin C | Green and red peppers, citrus fruits, broccoli. | Collagen formation, immune system function, antioxidant (helps protect cells from damage). |
| Vitamin D | Exposure to sunlight. | Helps calcium strengthen bones, muscle, nerve, and immune system function. |
The liver produces bile which emulsifies (separates) fat.
The small intestine is where most digestion takes place. As food travels along the small intestine it gets broken down completely by enzymes secreted from the walls. These enzymes are produced in the small intestine as well as in the pancreas and liver. After the enzymes break down the food, the resulting substances are then absorbed into the blood via capillaries in the small intestine walls.
Tough fibrous cords of connective tissue called tendons connect muscles to the skeleton while another type of connective tissue called ligaments connect bones to other bones at joints (elbow, knee, fingers, spinal column).