Why does your tummy rumble?

Just before lunch, the class sat listening quietly to the teacher. Suddenly Cú Bông's tummy gave a rumble so loud that the whole desk turned round.

Cú Bông worried that a rumbling tummy meant being ill. But Cú Bông felt perfectly well, with no pain anywhere.

After lunch, Cú Bông's tummy was full. The rumbling carried on, but much more quietly.

Food travels from your mouth down to your stomach, then into your intestines. Muscles in the stomach churn the food; in the intestines, waves of muscle push it along.

As food, liquid and gas move through your stomach and intestines, they can make rumbling sounds. When your stomach is empty, the rumbling is usually louder and more frequent.

Choose Hungry or Full, then tap the stomach to see the rumble illustrated. Compare the two: when is the rumble usually louder?

Food, liquid and gas moving through your stomach and intestines can make a rumbling sound. When your stomach is empty it is usually louder and more frequent — and usually nothing to worry about.