Question

Write the difference between ingestion and digestion.

Answer 1

Hint: Ingestion and digestion are two acts that occur in the alimentary canal of animals. The key distinction in ingestion and digestion is that ingestion is the absorption of food into the body, while digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the body.

Complete Answer:
The alimentary canal is an organ that begins from the mouth and ends at the anus, carrying food through different regions of the digestive system and also removing waste from the body. The organs of the alimentary canal are the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.

The main difference between Ingestion and digestion are given below.

Sl.No	Ingestion	Digestion
1.	Ingestion is the intake of food from outside into the body by swallowing or absorbing.	Digestion involves breakdown of food into particles which can be absorbed by the body.
2.	It helps in transfer of food particles so the digestive enzymes and juices can act on it.	The action of digestive juices and enzymes on food is a part of digestion.
3.	Ingestion takes place in the mouth.	Digestion takes place in the mouth, stomach, and intestine.
4.	It is a completely mechanical process.	It is a mechanical as well as a chemical process.

Note: Ingestion is the taking in of food particles into the body. In animals, ingestion occurs in the mouth whereas in protozoans it occurs by endocytosis. Digestion involves the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into small substances, facilitating the absorption and assimilation of nutrients by the body.