Digestive System
Solutions for Biology, Class 9, ICSE
Assertion Reason Type
6 questionsAssertion (A): The last molar on each side of both the jaws is called the wisdom tooth as it is responsible for the intelligence of a person.
Reason (R): The wisdom teeth are so called because they appear at an age of about 17-20 years when the human body is reaching maturity.
- A is True and R is False.
- A is false and R is True.
- Both A and R are True.
- Both A and R are False.
Answer:
A is false and R is True.
Reason — The wisdom tooth is not related to intelligence or mental ability. It is simply the last tooth to erupt in the dental arch. Wisdom teeth usually erupt between the ages of 17 and 25, a period sometimes referred to as the "age of wisdom."
Answer:
A is True and R is False.
Reason — Dentine is the main structural component of a tooth. It lies beneath the enamel and forms the bulk (major portion) of both the crown and the root of the tooth. While dentine is a bone-like tissue, it does not fix the root of the tooth. The structure that covers and anchors the root in position is called cementum, not dentine.
Answer:
Both A and R are True.
Reason — Ptyalin is secreted by salivary glands. Amylopsin is secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine. Despite being secreted from different glands, both enzymes perform the same function: they break down starch into maltose. Both enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of starch (a polysaccharide) into maltose (a disaccharide).
Assertion (A): Pylorus is the structure which prevents the entry of food from the stomach to the oesophagus.
Reason (R): Pylorus has a ring of muscles to keep the opening of the stomach closed like a valve. It is located at the front end of the stomach.
- A is True and R is False.
- A is false and R is True.
- Both A and R are True.
- Both A and R are False.
Answer:
Both A and R are False.
Reason — The pylorus is located at the lower end of the stomach. It controls the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine (duodenum). It is true that the pylorus has a ring of muscles that acts like a valve but it is located at the lower/back end of the stomach, not the front.
Assertion (A): Bile juice is produced in the kidneys and is stored in the liver.
Reason (R): Bile juice is poured in duodenum through the common bile duct. It converts the acidic pH of the food to alkaline and enables the pancreatic enzymes to act.
- A is True and R is False.
- A is false and R is True.
- Both A and R are True.
- Both A and R are False.
Answer:
A is false and R is True.
Reason — Bile juice is produced in the liver, not the kidneys. It is stored in the gallbladder, not the liver. Bile is released into the duodenum via the common bile duct. It neutralizes the acidic chyme from the stomach, making it alkaline. This alkaline environment is necessary for the action of pancreatic enzymes like trypsin and lipase.
Answer:
A is false and R is True.
Reason — The small intestine is actually much longer than the large intestine. The small intestine is highly coiled to fit within the limited space of the abdomen. This coiling increases the surface area for absorption.
Long Answer Type
5 questionsAnswer:
Main characteristics of enzymes are-
- It is a protein and is, therefore, destroyed by heating.
- It acts only on one kind of substance called the substrate i.e. it is specific.
- It always forms the same end-product(s) from the substrate.
- It only affects the rate of a chemical reaction and always speeds up the reaction.
- Like a catalyst, it can be used again and again.
- It acts best only at a particular pH,i.e. at a particular degree of acidity or alkalinity.
- It acts best within a narrow temperature range, usually between 35°and 40°C which is also called the optimum temperature.
Answer:
The small intestine serves two important functions of digestion and absorption. In the duodenum, it receives two digestive juices:
- The bile
- The pancreatic juice
Both the juices virtually complete the process of digestion of proteins, starch, carbohydrates etc. Once the food is broken down, the small intestine is responsible to absorb simple particles such as amino acids, glucose etc.
Answer:
The liver is the largest gland of the body and it performs the following functions:
- Controls amino acid levels
- Produces foetal red blood cells
- Produces heparin and fibrinogen
- Checks blood volume
- Destructs dead red blood cells
- Detoxifies
- Produces bile
- Generates heat
- Controls blood sugar levels
- Storage of minerals and vitamins
- Excretes metallic and toxic substances
Answer:
The table below shows the different regions, enzymes and the action of the enzymes on the food -
Part of the body | Name of the enzyme | Action on food |
---|---|---|
Stomach | Pepsin | Converts proteins into polypeptides |
Small intestine - Duodenum | Trypsin | Acts on proteins peptones and proteases to produce peptides and amino acids. |
Amylopectin | Acts on starch to produce maltose | |
Steapsin | Acts on emulsified fats to produce fatty acids and glycerol | |
Small intestine - Ileum | erepsin | It acts on proteins and peptides to produce amino acids |
Maltase | Acts on maltose to produce glucose | |
Sucrase | Acts on sucrose to produce glucose and fructose | |
Lactase | Acts on lactose to produce glucose and galactose | |
Lipase | Acts on fats to produce fatty acids and glycerol |
Answer:
The following tests can be carried out:
Test for starch:
Aim — To detect the presence of starch in the sample
Procedure and Inference —
- Add some starch powder to a test tube containing water, shake well. Boil well to make a solution.
- Add some drops of iodine solutions when the solution cools down.
- Iodine solution can be prepared by dissolving 1g iodine with 1g potassium iodide in 100ml of distilled water, dilute this solution before using.
- The solution in the test tube would turn blur-black indicating the presence of starch.
Test for proteins:
Aim — To detect the presence of proteins in the given sample
Procedure and Inference—
- In a test tube add a few pieces of the sample (hard-boiled egg)
- Add a few drops of dilute nitric acid so as to seal the food
- Gently heat the test tube, rinsing off the acid with water, to this add ammonium hydroxide
- Observe the changes – from the initial white, color changes to yellow
- After adding ammonium hydroxide – the color changes from yellow to orange.
Multiple Choice Type
12 questionsAnswer:
Premolars, molars — Grinding
Reason — Premolars and molars carry out grinding of food.
Name the salivary gland P, Q and R based on their location given below:
Salivary gland | Location |
---|---|
P | Beneath the ears |
Q | Below the tongue |
R | Beneath the lower jaw |
- P — Parotid, Q — Submandibular, R — Sublingual
- P — Sublingual, Q — Parotid, R — Submandibular
- P — Submandibular, Q — Sublingual, R — Parotid
- P — Submandibular, Q — Parotid, R — Sublingual
Answer:
P — Parotid, Q — Sublingual, R — Submandibular
Reason — The saliva is secreted by three pairs of salivary glands :
- parotid glands located just in front of and beneath each ear,
- submandibular glands lying close to the inner side of the lower jaw on each side,
- sublingual glands below the tongue.
A biology teacher asked her students to give two examples of enzymes which act on different forms of carbohydrates.
Nishtha said: Amylopsin and invertase.
Ankur said: Steapsin and Maltase.
Prakriti said: Ptyalin and Amylopsin.
Aakash said: Maltase and Erepsin.
Who were correct?
- Ankur and Aakash
- Nishtha and Prakriti
- Nishtha and Ankur
- Nishtha and Aakash
Answer:
Nishtha and Prakriti
Reason
Student | Enzymes Named | Substrate Type | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Nishtha | Amylopsin acts on starch Invertase acts on sucrose | Both are carbohydrates | Correct |
Ankur | Steapsin acts on fats Maltase acts on Maltose (carbohydrate) | One enzyme does not act on carbohydrate | Incorrect |
Prakriti | Ptyalin (salivary amylase) acts on starch Amylopsin acts on starch | Both are carbohydrates | Correct |
Aakash | Maltase acts on Maltose (carbohydrate) Erepsin acts on Proteins | One enzyme does not act on carbohydrate | Incorrect |
Therefore, only Nishtha and Prakriti supplied two enzymes that each act on some form of carbohydrate.
Progress Check 1
3 questionsName the following parts of a tooth :
- Part exposed above the gum.
- The hard substance making the covering of the tooth.
- The soft connective tissue contained in the central space of the tooth.
- Bone-like structure fixing the root in position.
- Slight constriction between the root and the crown.
Answer:
- Crown
- Enamel
- Pulp
- Cementum
- Neck
Progress Check 2
2 questionsMention if the following statements are true or false:
- Saliva moistens and lubricates food.
- Saliva contains a protein-digesting enzyme.
- Saliva tends to destroy germs in the mouth.
- Peristalsis occurs through all regions of the gut.
- The food in stomach stays for about 10 hours.
- Gastric juice is alkaline.
- Gastric juice contains pepsinogen.
Answer:
- True
- False
Corrected Statement — Saliva contains a starch-digesting enzyme. - True
- True
- True
- False
Corrected Statement — Gastric juice is acidic. - False
Corrected Statement — Gastric juice contains pepsin and renin.
Progress Check 3
4 questionsMention if the following statements are true (T) or false (F)
- Intestinal villi have a lymph vessel called lacteal.
- Intestine is narrow for fast movement of food.
- Large intestine secretes no enzymes.
- Bile neutralizes the acid content of the food received from the stomach.
- Pancreatic juice has enzymes to digest all the major components of food.
- The anus is surrounded by circular muscles.
Answer:
- True
- False
Corrected Statement — Intestine is narrow for slow movement of food. - True
- True
- True
- True
Progress Check 4
1 questionFill in the blanks.
- Liver stores glucose as ............... .
- Liver produces ............... only in embryo.
- Urea is produced in ............... by the deamination of extra............... .
- For testing the action of saliva on starch, the material has to be kept at a temperature of about ............... °C.
Answer:
- Liver stores glucose as glycogen .
- Liver produces RBC only in embryo.
- Urea is produced in liver by the deamination of extra amino acid .
- For testing the action of saliva on starch, the material has to be kept at a temperature of about 38°C.
Progress Check 5
1 questionAnswer:
- Protein
- Starch
- Glucose
- Minerals
Short Answer Type
8 questionsAnswer:
(a) Digestion — Digestion is any change which makes the food soluble and of such chemical nature that it can be absorbed readily through living membranes.
(b) Enzymes — An enzyme is a protein that acts on a specific substance to form a specific end product. It best acts at a particular temperature and pH.
(c) Peristalsis — It is defined as the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscles of the alimentary canal which pushes the food along the gut.
(d) Dentition — The arrangement of teeth in a particular species is called dentition.
(e) Defaecation — The expulsion of undigested remains of food from the alimentary canal is called defaecation.
(f) Assimilation — It is the conversion of the absorbed digested food into body material.
Answer:
(a) located in upper right side of abdomen just below the diaphragm.
(b) close to the inner side of the lower jaw on each side.
(c) between stomach and small intestine.
(d) located behind the stomach.
(e) at junction of large and small intestine.
Answer:
(a) Rectum temporarily stores undigested food and wastes, to be defaecated through the anus.
(b) Gastric juice plays two key roles (i) it kills any germs which may have entered along with the food (ii) it activates pepsinogen to act on proteins.
(c) Epiglottis closes the opening of wind pipe.
(d) Most of the digestion and absorption of nutrition occur in small intestine.
(e) Tongue helps in mixing of food in buccal cavity and pushes it through pharynx.
Give reasons/explain :
(a) Only animals require a digestive system and not plants.
(b) There are no enzymes to digest vitamins.
(c) Thorough chewing of food in mouth is helpful in digestion.
(d) Bile juice does not contain any enzyme but is still important in digestion.
(e) The inner layer of small intestine has a large number of finger-like projections called villi.
Answer:
(a) Animals are heterotrophs. They obtain their nutrients by consuming organic matter, such as other organisms or plant material. Hence, they need a digestive system to break down complex molecules, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, into smaller, absorbable forms. In contrast, plants are autotrophs, capable of synthesizing their own food through photosynthesis. Hence, they don't require a digestive system.
(b) Vitamins do not need digestion. They are absorbed directly through the intestine wall.
(c) Chewing of food breaks the food into small particles which helps in easy digestion.
(d) Bile contains a lot of sodium bicarbonate which neutralises the acid content of the food received from the stomach and makes it alkaline so that pancreatic and intestinal enzymes can act on it.
(e) The villi enormously increase the inner surface area of the intestines which facilitates the absorption of digested food.
Answer:
The two ways in which the ileum of mammals is adapted for the absorption of digested food are:
- Very long to provide much more surface area for absorption.
- Ileum has numerous villi which further causes the surface area to increase thereby increasing the quantity of absorption of digested food.
Answer:
Hydrochloric acid performs the following functions in the stomach-
- It kills any germs which may have entered along with the food.
- It activates pepsin to act on proteins. Pepsin digests proteins into peptides.
Structured Application Skill Type
8 questionsStudy the diagram given below and then answer the questions that follow:

(a) Name the parts labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
(b) Identify the tooth and give a reason to support your answer.
(c) Describe the structure of the part labeled '3'.
(d) Give the total number of the type of tooth mentioned in '1' above, in the mouth of an adult and state its function.
Answer:
(a) The parts are-
- 1 → Enamel
- 2 → Dentine
- 3 → Pulp
- 4 → Gum
- 5 → Crown
- 6 → Cement
(b) The type of teeth shown in the given figure has only one root. Hence it is a canine or incisor that is used to bite or pierce.
(c) The part labelled '3'(Pulp) is a soft connective tissue present in the pulp cavity of the tooth. It consists of blood capillaries, lymph vessels and nerve fibres. From the crown of the tooth, the pulp opens through the pulp cavity at the base of the root.
(d) The type of teeth mentioned in the figure and its function are as follows:
Type of teeth | Number of teeth | Function |
---|---|---|
Incisors | 8 | Used to cut and bite |
Canines | 4 | Used to tear and hold food |
Premolars | 8 | Used to grind and crush food |
Molars | 12 | Used to grind and crush food |
Study the following dental formula and then answer the questions that follow:
(a) What is the total number of teeth in the (i) upper jaw and (ii) lower jaw?
(b) State the total number of teeth present in the dentition.
(c) Give the dental formula of an adult human being.
Answer:
(a) The total number of teeth in the upper jaw are 8 and lower jaw are 12.
(b) The total number of teeth present in the given dentition are 20 teeth.
(c) The dental formula of an adult is as follows:
Human adult: (permanent teeth with 4 wisdom teeth added)
The figures (A, B, C and D) shown below represent different kinds of teeth in humans. Study the figures and answer the following questions:

(a) What kind of teeth do A, B, C and D represent ?
(b) Write one structural feature/shape of each.
(c) Mention the number of teeth of each kind in one jaw with their specific position.
(d) Name two minerals present in teeth.
(e) What do you mean by 'Wisdom tooth'?
Answer:
(a)
- A → Incisor
- B → Canine
- C → Premolar
- D → Molar
(b)
- A → Broad and sharp
- B → Conical and sharply pointed
- C → Two hill-like projections(bicuspid)
- D → Large grinding surface
(c)
- A → Four, centre of each jaw
- B → Two, one on each side of incisor
- C → Four, two on side of each canine
- D → Six, three on each side
(d) Calcium and phosphorous.
(e) Last molar on each side of jaw is called wisdom teeth.
Draw a neat diagram of the "Microscopic Structure of an intestinal villus" and label the parts given below :
- Epithelium
- Capillaries
- Lacteals
Answer the following questions :
(a) What is the advantage of having a large number of villi on the inner surface of small intestine ?
(b) Write the important role of lacteals.
(c) Name the juice secreted from the glandular cells of small intestine.
(d) Name the specific secretions of:
- Salivary gland
- Stomach
- Liver
- Pancreas
Answer:
Below is the labelled diagram of the "Microscopic Structure of an intestinal villus":

(a) A large number of villi enormously increase the inner surface area of the small intestine which facilitates the absorption of digested food.
(b) The fatty acids and glycerol are absorbed into the lacteals to enter the lymphatic system which forms a network all over the body to ultimately empty its contents into the blood stream.
(c) Intestinal juice
(d)
- Salivary gland - Saliva (amylase)
- Stomach - Gastric juice
- Liver - Bile
- Pancreas - Pancreatic juice
Vedika observed the following structure in a biology chart showing the digestive system.

(a) Name the structure which stores bile juice.
(b) Mention the gland which secretes bile juice.
(c) What are the three enzymes found in the pancreatic juice which can act over proteins, carbohydrates and emulisifed fats ?
Answer:
(a) Gall bladder
(b) Liver
(c) Trypsin – Acts on proteins, Amylopsin (Pancreatic amylase) – Acts on carbohydrates (starch), Steapsin (Pancreatic lipase) – Acts on emulsified fats
Write the correct word for the items (i) to (viii).
(i) A predator:
...............
(ii) Deficiency of Folic acid (B9) produces:
...............
(iii) A digestive enzyme:
...............
(iv) A part of tooth:
...............
(v) Fatty acids are absorbed into:
...............
(vi) Maltase acts on:
...............
(vii) Excess amino acids are broken down in:
...............
(viii) An enzyme which digest starch:
...............
Answer:
(i) A predator:
TIGER
(ii) Deficiency of Folic acid (B9) produces:
ANAEMIA
(iii) A digestive enzyme:
PEPSIN
(iv) A part of tooth:
DENTINE
(v) Fatty acids are absorbed into:
LACTEALS
(vi) Maltase acts on:
MALTOSE
(vii) Excess amino acids are broken down in:
LIVER
(viii) An enzyme which digest starch:
AMYLASE
Very Short Answer Type
7 questionsAnswer:
The two reflexes which occur when a person chews and swallows food are-
- Reflex when a person chews — Secretion of saliva.
- Reflex when a person swallows — The tongue presses upward and back against the roof (palate) of the mouth and this forces the bolus (the ball of chewed food ) into the throat or the pharynx.
Answer:
Internal structure of a tooth | Characteristics / Functions |
---|---|
(a) Enamel | 2. Hardest substance in the body |
(b) Dentine | 4. Forms the bulk of the tooth |
(c) Cementum | 1. Covers and fixes the root in position |
(d) Root | 6. The embedded part of the tooth |
(e) Pulp | 5. The soft connective tissue |
(f) Crown | 3. The exposed part of the tooth |
Answer:
Column A | Column B |
---|---|
Ptyalin | Starch |
Rennin | Casein |
Erepsin | Proteins and peptides |
Steapsin | Emulsified fat |
Pepsin | Protein |
Consider the following two statements A & B and select the statements from (i) – (iv) that hold true.
A. Small intestine is shorter than large intestine.
B. Small intestine is wider than large intestine.
Options:
(i) Both the statements are correct.
(ii) Both the statements are wrong.
(iii) Statement A is correct, B is wrong.
(iv) Statement B is correct, A is wrong.
Answer:
The statement that holds true is:
(ii) Both the statements are wrong.
Reason — Small intestine is longer than the large intestine. It is about 7 meters longer while large intestine is about 1.5 meters long. Large intestine is wider than the small intestine.
Answer:
- Alimentary canal and digestive glands.
- Salivary gland, liver and pancreas.
- Parotid glands, sub-mandibular glands and sublingual glands.
- Duodenum, Jejunum, Ileum.
- Caecum, Colon, Rectum.
Answer:
- Steapsin is odd one out. Remaining terms (Pepsin, Trypsin and Erepsin) are protein digesting enzymes.
- Peptidase is odd one out. Lactase, Invertase and Maltase are sugar digesting enzymes.
- Starch is odd one out. Glucose, Fructose and Galactose are simple sugar.
- Colon is odd one out. Ileum, Duodenum and Jejunum are parts of small intestine.
- Palate is odd one out. Crown, Root and Neck are parts of teeth.