Enzymes and Digestion

Question 1

What do digestive enzymes do?

Answer 1

break down large insoluble molecules (e.g. starch, proteins, fats) into smaller soluble ones (e.g. sugars, amino acids, glycerol, fatty acids) so that they can pass through the walls of the digestive system and be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Question 2

What do carbohydrases do?

Example?

Answer 2

convert carbohydrates into simple sugars.

e.g. the amylase enzyme converts starch into maltose.

Question 3

What do proteases do?

Answer 3

convert proteins into amino acids

Question 4

What do lipases do?

Answer 4

convert lipids into glycerol and fatty acids

Question 5

Where are each enzyme produced?

Answer 5

amylase: salivary gland, pancreas, small intestine.
protease: stomach, pancreas, small intestine.
lipase: pancreas, small intestine.

Question 6

Where is bile produced and stored?

Answer 6

produced in the liver and stored in the gall bladder.

Question 7

What is bile used for?

Answer 7

neutralising acid from the stomach to make alkaline conditions for enzymes to work properly.
emulsify fats, breaking them down into tiny droplets to give a larger surface area for the lipase enzyme to work on, making digestion faster.