Egestion and excretion are two essential elimination processes that help maintain the body’s internal balance. Egestion removes undigested food from the digestive tract, while excretion eliminates metabolic wastes such as urea and carbon dioxide. This guide explains definitions, mechanisms, differences, and NEET-focused comparison points of egestion vs excretion.
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Egestion is the expulsion of indigestible substances from the body. It occurs through the digestive tract and the waste is removed in the form of faeces. It takes place mainly through the colon, rectum and anus. This process is the final step of nutrition and important for the removal of non-absorbable products from the gastrointestinal tract and, thus, the wellness of the GI system.
Excretion is the process by which metabolic waste products are eliminated from the body. Thus, it includes processes such as the removal of waste products from the blood by the renal cortex to form urine, the expulsion of gases from the lungs to form carbon dioxide and the secretion from sweat glands. Excretion is a continuous and vital life process since it ensures that the body has a constant steady temperature and helps remove unwanted substances.
The mechanism of egestion is described below-
The digestive system’s main function in egestion is the breakdown of food, absorption of nutrients in the food and discharge of wastes.
The nutrients are absorbed through the small intestine.
The food which is not digested is subjected to processes that facilitate egestion as faeces.
Beginning from the mouth to the stomach, the small and large intestines and finally the rectum.
After it has advanced through the small intestine and large intestine, the food is converted to faeces by absorbing water and solidifying.
Organs involved in egestion are colon, rectum and anus.
The mechanism of excretion is described below-
It ensures the expulsion of waste products from the body making sure internal chemical balance is well maintained.
It purifies blood and uptake of various necessary elements and expels unwanted products through different excretory organs.
By-products of metabolism for example urea, carbon dioxide and excess salts move from the cells in which they are found into the bloodstream.
It is then transported to the excretory organs where it is then metabolized and expelled out of the body.
The kidneys filter blood to produce urine, and the sure, as well as other wastes, are filtered out.
The liver, this organ detoxifies and creates bile.
Carbon dioxide is expelled in the lungs as a result of respiration.
Sweat is salty water and is excreted through the skin.
These organs assist in the efficient elimination of waste products from the body system.
It is one important difference and comparison article in biology. The differences are listed below-
| Key Difference | Egestion | Excretion |
|---|---|---|
Type of Waste | Expulsion of indigestible food matter and solid wastes from the digestive system. | Discharge of metabolic waste products such as urine, carbon dioxide, and water |
Nature of Waste | Solid (e.g., faeces) | Liquid (e.g., urine) and gaseous (e.g., carbon dioxide) waste. |
Systems Involved | Digestive System | Excretory System |
Main Organs | Involves the colon, rectum, and anus. | Involves excretory organs like kidneys, liver, lungs, and skin. |
Frequency and Regulation | Occurs during specific times, often in conjunction with digestion, regulated by diet and the digestive system. | Continuous process regulated by the body’s internal clock, hydration status, activity, and metabolic rate. |
Importance | Clears digestive tract | Maintains internal balance |
Important questions asked in NEET from this topic are:
Process of Egestion and Excretion
Egestion vs Excretion
Q1. Absorbed substances finally reach the tissues which utilise them for their activities , this process is called
Assimilation
Absorption
Digestion
Mastication
Correct answer: 1) Assimilation
Explanation:
Assimilation is the process by which absorbed nutrients are delivered to the cells and tissues that need them for various functions. After digestion and absorption, nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids are transported through the bloodstream to different cells throughout the body. This process takes place at the cellular level in organs like the liver, muscles, adipose tissue, and other target cells.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1) Assimilation.
Q2. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
Faecal accumulation in the rectum initiates a neural reflex causing an urge for its removal.
Irregular bowel movements cause constipation.
In diarrhea absorption of food is increased.
All of the these
Correct answer: 3) In diarrhea absorption of food is increased.
Explanation:
The digestive wastes, solidified into coherent faeces in the rectum initiate a neural reflex causing an urge or desire for its removal. The egestion of faeces to the outside through the anal opening is called defecation. It is a voluntary process and is carried out by a mass peristaltic movement
Hence, the correct answer is Option (3) In diarrhoea absorption of food is increased.
Q3. Removal of digestive wastes, solidified into coherent feces in the rectum initiates a neural reflex causing an urge or desire for its removal the process is known as:
Ingestion
Defaecation
Egestion
Assimilation
Correct answer: 2) Defaecation
Explanation:
The above process is termed the defecation reflex. Thus, when the rectum is filled with fecal matter, it activates the stretch receptors and sends information to the brain, initiating an urge to move it out. It is also, therefore, a process consisting of both involuntary and voluntary actions within the muscles that expel waste from the body.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2) Defaecation.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Excretion involves several organs: including the kidneys which filter out blood and make urine; the liver which purifies toxins and makes bile; the lungs which exhale carbon monoxide; and the skin which removes excess salts and water in the form of sweat.
It plays a massive role in the regulation of the internal environment as it rids the body of toxic substances, controls the amount of water in the body, and acid-base balance. If wastes are not expelled efficiently then poisonous matter starts building up within the body and plays a way around our normal functioning.
Gastrointestinal diseases that include constipation, diarrhoea, or other types of bowel irregularities can also affect egestion since the nature, frequency, and manner of the expulsion of the waste products influence it. For instance, some conditions that cause changes in bowel habits include IBS or IBD hence impacting digestion and bowel comfort.
In this aspect, egestion can be described as the process of forcing out any undigested or unabsorbed food remnants in our food digestion system and this forms a type of faeces. In secretion, materials not required for an organism’s metabolism are expelled out of the cells and tissues through the secretion system and the outcome is liquid waste and gases such as urea, and carbon dioxide among others.
Egestion entails organs such as the intestine which is a part of the digestive system that processes undigested food; the rectum a chamber that stores faeces and the anus is the orifice through which faecal matter is released out of the body.