1. What forms the food substance into small balls?
* Chewing is the primary force that breaks down food into smaller pieces.
* Saliva plays a crucial role:
* Lubricates the food, making it easier to swallow.
* Contains enzymes that begin the digestion process.
* Tongue manipulates the food, mixing it with saliva and creating a rounded shape.
2. What pushes the small balls (bolus) onward?
* The tongue helps to position the bolus at the back of the mouth, ready for swallowing.
* Swallowing is a complex action initiated by the voluntary contraction of muscles in the tongue and the back of the mouth.
* This pushes the bolus through the pharynx (throat) and into the esophagus, which uses muscular contractions (peristalsis) to propel the bolus down to the stomach.
So, in summary:
* Chewing and saliva form the food into a bolus.
* The tongue and swallowing action push the bolus into the esophagus.
