enzymes Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions without being used up.
What do digestive enzymes do?
They break down large, insoluble food molecules into small, soluble ones that can be absorbed
What enzyme breaks down starch?
Amylase
What is the product of starch digestion? ( What does starch get broken down into when digested?)
Sugars (like maltose)
What enzyme breaks down proteins?
Protease
What is the product of protein digestion?
Amino acids
Where is amylase made?
Salivary glands, pancreas, and small intestine
Where is protease made?
Stomach, pancreas, and small intestine
What enzyme breaks down fats (lipids)?
Lipase
What are the products of fat digestion?
Fatty acids and glycerol
Where is lipase made?
Pancreas and small intestine
What is bile, and what does it do?
Bile is a substance made in the liver that emulsifies fats and neutralises stomach acid.
Where is bile stored?
Gall bladder
What does “emulsify fats” mean?
Breaking large fat droplets into smaller ones to increase surface area for lipase to work.
What does the arrow (→) mean in enzyme reactions?
It shows what the enzyme breaks the substance down into (e.g., protein → amino acids).
What is the substrate of amylase?
Starch
What is the substrate of protease?
Protein
What is the substrate of lipase?
Fats (lipids)
What are the products of lipase breaking down lipids?
Fatty acids and glycerol
What is the pH of the stomach and why?
Acidic (around pH 2), to help protease work and kill bacteria
What is the pH of the small intestine and why?
Alkaline (around pH 8), bile neutralises stomach acid to help enzymes work
Which organ produces bile?
Liver
Which organ stores bile?
: Gall bladder
