Chemical digestion Flashcards
What are the 3 organic compounds that food is made out of?
Protein
fats
carbs
What are enzymes?
They are protein molecules that act as catalysts in biochemical reactions
They also alter the rate of specific reactions
What is a substrate?
The substance that is acted upon by an enzyme (Food)
Look at diagram
FUCK THE DIAGRAM
What are polymers?
Long chains of organic molecules made up of smaller units called monomers
What do digestive enzymes do?
Break down food molecules (polymers) into short chains (monomers)
What are monomers?
Food particles that are small enough to diffuse into the bloodstream and is soluble in H2O
Why is the Process of chemical digestion needed?
Mech digestion does not break food up into small enough pieces to enter the bloodstream
What are proteins, carbs and fats made out of?
Protiens = ammino acid carbs = Glucose molecules fats/lipids = 3 Fatty acid + gylcerol
What are the 3 groups of digestive enzymes and what are their functions?
proteases –> digests protiens
Lipases –> digest fats
carbohydrase –> digests carbs
Enzymes are sensitive to what?
Temp and ph
At what temp do enzymes function optimally
37C
What ph do enzymes skit at
carbohydrases - 7,4 (salivia)
proteasses - 2,5 (digestive juices)
lipases - around 7 ( bile neutralises so it smaak a poes nxa alkaline)
Where are the different sites of chemical digestion around the body?
Mouth
Stomach
Small intestine
What do Salivary glands secrete
Mouth
Salivary glands secrete saliva that contains mucus, H2O , Crabohydrase enzyme
When and why is saliva produced?
Mouth
It is produced continuously but the smell of food stimulates more to be made
What is the ph of saliva
-+ 7.4
Why is saliva slightly alkaline
Mouth
Carbohydrase enzyme works best at this ph
It changes starch to maltose
What happens when alkaline food reaches the stomach
stomach
Gastric glands in the stomach walls are stimulated
What do gastric glands do
stomach
Secrete gastric juices which are H2O Mucus HCl Enzymes
What is the ph of HCl
stomach
2.5
What does the low ph of the HCl in the stomach do?
stomach
kills some bacteria in the food and activates enzymes in gastric juices
What are the enzymes in gastric juices
stomach
Proteases
What happens when acid chyme enters the duodenum
Small intestines
Pancreatic juices + bile from the liver are added to food pulp
intestinal juices with more enzymes are added
What are the intestinal juices
Small intestines
proteases
Lipases
carbohydrase
What is bile and its function
Small intestines
The strong alkaline (neutralises acidic chyme and changes ph to 8)
It emulsifies fat into smaller pieces via mech digestion so that enzymes can break it down into fatty acid + glycerol
What is chyme
the pulpy acidic fluid which passes from the stomach to small intestine consisting of partly digested food and gastric juices
