Grade 8 · Science · Unit 11 of 22
Human Body Systems
Breathing, blood, digestion and how the body responds
What your child practises
The main jobs of the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, excretory and nervous systems, how they work together, and what affects healthy function, such as exercise and air quality.
Alberta Curriculum learning outcome: Unit B: Cells and Systems · body systems for respiration, circulation, digestion, excretion and sensory awareness, and how the body responds to changing conditions
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Where in the lungs does oxygen pass into the blood?
- the alveoli
- the stomach
- the trachea
- the esophagus
Show answer
the alveoli
Hint: Alveoli are tiny air sacs surrounded by capillaries.
Question 2
Put the path of food through the digestive system in order.
- 🍽️Stomach
- 🌀Small intestine
- 💧Large intestine
- 👄Mouth
Show answer
Mouth → Stomach → Small intestine → Large intestine
Hint: Food is chewed in the mouth, travels down the esophagus, is mixed in the stomach, has nutrients absorbed in the small intestine and has water absorbed in the large intestine.
Question 3
A hand touches a hot pot and pulls away before the person feels pain. What is this quick response called?
- circulation
- digestion
- a reflex
- excretion
Show answer
a reflex
Hint: A reflex is a fast, automatic response that protects the body.
Question 4
Why does your heart beat faster when you exercise?
- Your blood needs to stop.
- Your muscles need more oxygen and nutrients delivered faster.
- Your heart is trying to cool the air.
- Your lungs need to rest.
Show answer
Your muscles need more oxygen and nutrients delivered faster.
Hint: The body responds to changing conditions by changing how fast it circulates blood.
Question 5
Where does most digestion of food happen and nutrients get absorbed?
- the heart
- the kidneys
- the small intestine
- the lungs
Show answer
the small intestine
Hint: The small intestine is long and folded to absorb nutrients into the blood.
Question 6
Which body system does each organ belong to?
Sort into: 🫁 Respiratory · 🍽️ Digestive
- 🌀small intestine
- 🌬️trachea (windpipe)
- ↕️diaphragm
- 💧large intestine
- 🫧alveoli
- 🍽️stomach
- ⬇️esophagus
- 🫁lungs
Show answer
🫁 Respiratory: trachea (windpipe), diaphragm, alveoli, lungs · 🍽️ Digestive: small intestine, large intestine, stomach, esophagus
Hint: The lungs and trachea help us breathe. The stomach and intestines digest food.