BioMastery

The Excretory System Introduction: Why the Excretory System Matters Imagine your body as a bustling city. Just like a city needs a garbage disposal and sewer system, your body needs a way to remove waste—enter the excretory system . This system handles waste products like urea , salts , and water , making sure nothing toxic builds up inside you. The Main Organs in the Excretory System 1. Kidneys: The Star of the Show Your kidneys are the central players here. These bean-shaped organs are responsible for: Filtering blood to remove urea (a nitrogenous waste product), Maintaining water and salt balance , and Producing urine . They receive blood through the renal artery , do their magic, and then send filtered blood back out via the renal vein . 2. Ureter: The Transport Tube Each kidney is connected to a ureter , a long narrow tube that carries the filtered waste—aka urine —down to the bladder . Think of it like a trash chute in a high-rise building. 3. Bladder: The ...

The Digestive System: A Breakdown The human digestive system is a complex, coordinated group of organs that work together to break down food into nutrients your body can absorb and use. Let’s take a trip through each part of the system to understand how it all works. 1. Mouth – Where Digestion Begins Digestion kicks off the moment food enters your mouth. Mechanical digestion : Your teeth grind and crush food into smaller pieces. Chemical digestion : Saliva contains salivary amylase , an enzyme that starts breaking down carbohydrates into simpler sugars. 2. Esophagus – The Food Highway The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. It uses a process called peristalsis —smooth, rhythmic muscle contractions—to push food downward, even if you’re lying down or upside down. 3. Stomach – A Churning Acid Bath The stomach uses both mechanical and chemical digestion. Mechanical : The stomach churns food to mix it with digestive juices. Chemica...