3.4 Enzymes Speeding Up Digestion

Question 1

Name two reason why we have hydrochloric acid in our stomachs

Answer 1

To provide an optimum pH for protease enzymes.

Kills most bacteria taken in with food.

Question 2

Why is it difficult to keep the pH conditions in the gut at ideal levels

Answer 2

Because different enzymes work best at different pH levels example protease enzyme found in the stomach works best in acidic conditions.

On the other hand protease made in the pancreas need alkaline conditions to work at their best.

So the body makes a variety of different chemicals to help keep conditions ideal for enzymes all the way through the gut.

Question 3

How does the body maintain optimum functioning of intestinal enzymes

Answer 3

The liver produces bile, stores in the gall bladder. Bile is squirted into the small intestine as food comes into the small intestine. The bile neutralises the acid from the stomach and then makes the semi digested food alkaline.

This provides the ideal conditions needed for enzymes in the small intestine.

Question 4

Name two important functions that bile has in the digestive system.

Answer 4

Neutralising stomach acid making semi digested food alkaline to provide optimum conditions for intestinal enzymes.

Bile emulsifies the fats in the food. Bile physically breaks up large drops of fat into smaller drops. Providing a bigger surface area for lipase enzymes to act on.

The larger surface area helps the lipase enzymes chemical,y break down fats more quickly into fatty acids and glycerol.

Question 5

Explain why the stomach doesn’t digest itself.

Answer 5

stomach produces a thick layer of mucus that coats the stomach walls and protects it from being digested by hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes.