1. Explain what happens to the food whilst in your stomach.
2. What is the difference between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion?
3. What is the difference between bolus and chyme?
4. How do enzymes play a role in the chemical digestion of food?
5. In what ways can understanding digestion help you make healthier food choices?
6. Can a person live without a stomach? Support your answer.
Answer (1)
1. What happens to the food whilst in your stomach?The stomach acts as a storage tank and mixing chamber. Food is mixed with gastric juices (hydrochloric acid and enzymes) through muscular contractions. This process starts the breakdown of proteins. The acidic environment also kills many bacteria.2. What is the difference between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion?Mechanical digestion is the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces (e.g., chewing, churning in the stomach). It increases the surface area for enzymes to work.Chemical digestion is the breakdown of food molecules into smaller molecules by enzymes (e.g., breaking down proteins into amino acids).3. What is the difference between bolus and chyme?A bolus is a ball of chewed food mixed with saliva, formed in the mouth and swallowed.Chyme is the pulpy, acidic fluid that results from the stomach's churning and mixing of the bolus with gastric juices.4. How do enzymes play a role in the chemical digestion of food?Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions. In digestion, they break down large food molecules (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) into smaller molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Each enzyme typically acts on a specific type of molecule (e.g., amylase breaks down starch).5. In what ways can understanding digestion help you make healthier food choices?Understanding digestion can help you:Choose foods that are easier to digest if you have digestive issues.Combine foods in a way that optimizes digestion (e.g., eating fiber-rich foods to aid bowel movements).Recognize how different foods affect your energy levels and mood.Be aware of how processed foods might impact your digestive system.6. Can a person live without a stomach? Support your answer.Yes, a person can live without a stomach (after a gastrectomy). The stomach's main functions (food storage, initial protein digestion, and controlled release of food into the small intestine) can be compensated for.The esophagus can be connected directly to the small intestine.Dietary adjustments are necessary (smaller, more frequent meals; vitamin B12 supplementation).Other digestive organs (small intestine, pancreas, liver) take over the digestive processes.It's a serious surgery, but survival is possible.
