A1- digestion and absorption

Question 1

Describe how carbohydrates are digested

Answer 1

-Saliva contains amylase which hydrolyses starch to maltose and mineral salts to maintain pH7
-Stomach denatures amylase from mouth
-Pancreas secretes pancreatic juice containing amylase and alkaline salts to neutralise stomach acid
-Ileum produces the membrane bound disaccharidase maltase which hydrolyses maltose to alpha glucose
Additional disaccharidases: lactase and sucrase

Question 2

importance of digestion of carbs

Answer 2

enzyme amylase + maltase important as without it disaccharides like glucose, fructose , sucrose, lactose and maltose would not be hydrolysed > wont be rapidly absorbed and wont rapidly increase blood sugar and so glucose in blood will not be transported to cells to carry out respiration eg this process releases energy which can be used for providing energy (ATP) for muscle contractionb and active transport