fbpx

KidsKonnect

Stomach Facts & Worksheets

The stomach is a hollow, J-shaped organ that acts as a sac for storing food and a starting place for digestion.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Geography /Landmarks & Sights /Stomach Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The stomach is a large, muscular, hollow, and J-shaped organ that is a part of the digestive system and is responsible for food digestion. Its main function is to store and digest the food and release it to the intestines at a rate that the intestine can process. It generates enzymes and acids to break down the food and allows it to pass through the small intestine. 

See the fact file below for more information on the Stomach, or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Stomach worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Parts of the Stomach

  • The cardia is the uppermost part of the stomach connecting to the esophagus. It contains the cardiac sphincter, a thin ring of muscle that prevents the stomach contents from rising into the esophagus.
  • The fundus is the rounded top area to the left of the cardia, and it is located beneath the diaphragm (a dome-shaped muscle that helps in breathing). This part collects the digestive gases.  
  • The body or “corpus” is the largest and main part of the stomach. This is where the food is mixed when the stomach contracts.
  • The antrum is the stomach’s lower part. It keeps the food in the stomach until it is ready to be sent to the small intestine.
  • The pylorus is the section of the stomach that is connected to the small intestine. This also includes the pyloric sphincter which is a ring of tissue that regulates when and how the stomach contents will move to the small intestine.

Structure of the Stomach

  • There are different muscle and tissue layers that comprise the stomach, namely mucosa, submucosa, muscularis externa,
    and serosa. 
  • The mucosa (mucous membrane) is the inner lining of the stomach. It is made up of glands and specialized cells that produce mucus, hydrochloric acid, bicarbonate, and enzymes, which are used to break down the food. The mucus (that provides a protective coating) and bicarbonate keep the stomach’s lining safe from the acids.
  • The submucosa is a connective tissue layer that surrounds the mucosa. It has larger blood and lymph vessels, as well as nerve cells and fibers. It protects and covers the mucosa.
  • The muscularis externa is the stomach’s primary layer which is next to and the one covering the submucosa. It consists of three layers that relax and contract to break down the food.
  • The serosa or “visceral peritoneum” is the fibrous membrane that covers the outside of the stomach. 

Food’s Path in the Stomach

  • Digestion has two types, the mechanical or physical breaking down of food into smaller pieces and the chemical or breaking down of food by means of enzymes and chemicals. The mechanical digestion already starts in the mouth by chewing, while the chemical mainly happens in the stomach.
  • The food enters the stomach through the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring-like muscle. This opens and closes the passage between the esophagus and stomach, as needed. This relaxes during the digestion to allow the food to enter.
  • The muscle will then push the food from the stomach’s upper to lower part. The real action will take place as the digestive juices, enzymes, and the stomach’s muscles will break and churn down the food. This will prepare the food to turn into a usable form.
  • Different kinds of food contents have different digestion processing times. Carbohydrates are the quickest to digest that’s why they’re recommended for a quick energy boost. Proteins need a longer time while fats are the slowest to digest. In addition, water and other zero-calorie liquids are the ones to empty the stomach the fastest.
  • When the stomach’s role in digestion is complete, the food will pass through the duodenum (a short tube at the stomach’s base, and the start of the small intestine).
  • The next stages of digestion will then occur. The juices produced by other digestive organs like the liver and pancreas will help complete the process of converting the food to energy.

Importance of the Stomach

  • The stomach is a very vital digestive organ. It plays a great role in digestion and provides lots of benefits to humans.
  • The stomach secretes different digestive acids and enzymes to break down and prepare hard-to-digest food and also kills bacteria. 
  • Hydrochloric acid breaks down food, splits protein, and helps in killing pathogenic bacteria. Intrinsic factor binds to vitamin B12 (an important nutrient in forming red blood cells) making it absorbable in the small intestine. Enzymes like gastric lipase and pepsin help in digesting fats and protein, respectively.
  • The stomach is also the body’s primary food storage tank. It is needed so that people can eat only a few times a day rather than continuously. This is because the stomach allows a person to eat and store large meals which can be slowly digested over time.
  • The stomach is also a muscle that can grind and mix the food, breaking it into finely divided chyme (which has increased surface area), preparing it for further and easy digestion by other organs.    

Keeping the Stomach Healthy

  • The stomach plays a great role in our lives as it helps us gain energy and enjoy food. That’s why it is important to be kept healthy, and there are many ways to do so.
  • Having a regular eating schedule allows the stomach to properly digest the food. Not eating at a proper time may cause the stomach to overwork, resulting in indigestion and bloating.
  • Being hydrated and drinking plenty of water is beneficial to the stomach. Water helps in breaking down huge portions of food, making it easier to slide down to the stomach. It also reduces bloating and constipation due to the smooth movement of food.
  • Chewing the food well also helps a lot as digestion begins in the mouth. The food must be chewed into smaller pieces so the stomach’s enzymes can break down the food easily. Poor chewing habits result in poor nutrient absorption in the body. 
  • Limiting foods that are high in fats helps in the digestive process. Foods that are high in fat and cholesterol slow down digestion, which also makes a person prone to constipation and weight gain. 
  • Eating high-fiber foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes are needed for one’s daily diet. These keep the normal process of digestion running smoothly, prevent constipation, and maintain a stable weight.
  • Exercising regularly helps keep the foods moving through the digestive system, which reduces constipation. This can also help a person to maintain a healthy weight.
  • Avoiding stress is also favorable to our stomach, as stress hormones have a direct impact on digestion. When a person is in fight-or-flight mode, the body thinks that it doesn’t have time to rest and digest. Blood and energy are also diverted away from the digestive system during stressful times.

Additional Stomach Facts

  • The stomach is located in the left part of the abdominal cavity, just inferior to the diaphragm, and between the esophagus and duodenum (part of the small intestine).
  • The stomach size varies from person to person, but it can comfortably hold 1-2 liters of food and liquid during a meal. 
  • The stomach can hold up to 3-4 liters when stretched to its maximum capacity by a large meal or overeating. 
  • Distention of the stomach to its maximum size makes digestion difficult because the stomach cannot easily contract to properly mix food which causes discomfort.
  • Rugae, or wrinkles, cover the stomach’s inner layer (or gastric folds). Rugae allow the stomach to stretch to accommodate large meals and aid in gripping and moving food during digestion.
  • The stomach stores food for about 1-2 hours after it has been filled with food from a meal. 
  • The stomach is part of the gastrointestinal tract, which is the key part of the digestive system.
  • The stomach continues the digestive process that began in the mouth while the intestines, pancreas, gallbladder, and liver prepare to finish the digestion.

Stomach Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Stomach across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about the Stomach, which is a large, muscular, hollow, and J-shaped organ that is a part of the digestive system and is responsible for food digestion.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  • Stomach Facts
  • Crossword Puzzle
  • Get to Know Your Stomach
  • Color Match
  • Traveling in the Stomach
  • Stomach Appreciation
  • Keep the Stomach Healthy
  • Situational Analysis
  • Your Healthy Stomach
  • Maze of Information
  • Stomach Masterpiece

Frequently Asked Questions

Which side is the stomach on?

The stomach is a part of your body that is located on the left side of your upper abdomen. The stomach helps digest food that enters the esophagus. The food you eat goes down your throat and into your stomach. The stomach squeezes and pushes the food around with acids and enzymes to digest it.

What is the size of a stomach?

Most adults have around the same size stomach. Even though people weigh different amounts, their stomachs are about the same size. Your empty stomach is about 12 inches long and 6 inches wide. As an adult, your stomach can expand to hold around 1 quart of food.

What is the best sleeping position for your digestion?

Did you know that sleeping on your left side can help your digestive system work better? Gravity will also help out since it is pulling down on that side.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Stomach Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 23, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources