Question

item 3
chapter 1 assessment
page 6 of 8

1. the small intestine is an organ that is part of the digestive system. it is where most of the digestion and absorption of food takes place.

all humans have bacteria cells in their small intestine to perform important functions, like helping to digest vitamins and protecting the intestine from being invaded by harmful bacteria. however, if the normal function of the intestine is compromised, potentially harmful bacteria may grow to outnumber the other types of bacteria. when this happens people tend to experience symptoms like chronic diarrhea or weight loss.
based on your class consensus model, draw a more specific model that could be used to explain why a person with an imbalance of bacteria in their small intestine may experience these symptoms. if it’s helpful, you may build a gotta-have-it checklist to ensure you are including the necessary components and interactions in your model.
use this space for a gotta-have-it checklist if needed. (there is space for your model on the next page).

Explanation:

To explain the symptoms, the model should include: 1. Normal bacteria (aid digestion, protect) and harmful bacteria. 2. Imbalance: harmful outnumber normal. 3. Interactions: normal vs harmful bacteria competition. 4. Consequences: disrupted digestion/absorption → diarrhea, weight loss. A Gotta - Have - It Checklist would list these components (small intestine, normal bacteria, harmful bacteria, digestion/absorption process, symptom - cause link).

Answer:

The model should show the small intestine with normal bacteria (aiding digestion, protecting) and harmful bacteria. When normal function is compromised, harmful bacteria outnumber normal ones. This disrupts digestion/absorption, leading to chronic diarrhea (undigested food/water loss) and weight loss (poor nutrient absorption). The Gotta - Have - It Checklist includes: small intestine, normal bacteria, harmful bacteria, digestion/absorption, symptom - cause relationship.