Enzymes and Digestion Flashcards
What do digestive enzymes do?
Break down big molecules into smaller soluble ones.
Which 4 particular types of food molecule are too big to pass through the walls of the digestive system?
- Starch
- Proteins
- Fats
(4 Glycerol)
Which 3 particular food molecules are small enough to easily pass through the walls of the digestive system?
- Sugars
- Amino acids
- Fatty acids
Contextually, what breaks down the larger molecules into smaller ones?
Digestive enzymes?
What does amylase do?
Amylase converts starch into sugars.
Which enzyme converts starch into sugar?
Amylase.
Which 3 places is amylase made in?
- Salivary glands
- Pancreas
- Small intestine
What does protease do?
Protease converts proteins into amino acids.
Which enzyme converts proteins into amino acids?
Protease.
Which 3 places is protease made in?
- Stomach
- Pancreas
- Small intestine
What does lipase do?
Lipase converts glycerol into fatty acids.
Which enzyme converts glycerol into fatty acids?
Lipase.
Which 2 places is lipase made in?
- Pancreas
2. Small intestine
Which 2 places are all the enzymes (amylase, protease, and lipase) made in?
- Pancreas
2. Small intestine
What does bile do?
Bile neutralises the stomach acid and emulsifies fats.
Where is bile produced?
Bile is produced in the liver. (think alcohol)
Where is bile stored?
Bile is stored in the pancreas. (think all the enzymes)
Where is bile released into?
Bile is released into the small intestine. (again, think all the enzymes)
Which is bigger:
Glycerol or fatty acids?
Sugar or starch?
Amino acids or proteins?
Glycerol > fatty acids
Starch > sugar
Proteins > amino acids
Why is bile released into the small intestine?
Because the hydrochloric acid in the stomach is too acidic for enzymes to work properly, so cannot come in to eh small intestine where they do their jobs.
Why is bile great for small intestine enzymes?
Because its alkaline pH neutralises the stomch acid in the intestine and makes the conditions alkaline, which the pH enzymes work best in.
Which pH do small intestine enzymes work best in?
Small intestine enzymes work best in alkaline conditions.
Why does the ability of bile to emulsifying fats help with digestion?
By emulsifying the fat the bile is giving it a much larger surface area for the lipase to cover the fat, meaning it can break it down quicker.
What do enzymes do to the break down of food?
They catalyse the break down of food.
In broad terms, where are enzymes produced, and by what?
Enzymes are produced by specialist cells in the gut lining of the small intestine, or in glands.
Which 2 things does the large intestine do? (mainly one)
- The large intestine absorbs excess water from the food
2. provides a passage to the rectum to get rid of the food.
Which 3 things does the stomach do in digestion?
- The stomach pummels the food with its muscular walls
- It produces the protease enzyme pepsin
- It produces hydrochloric acid
Which 2 things does hydrochloric acid do for digestion?
- Hydrochloric acid kills bacteria in the stomach
2. Hydrochloric acid for the protease enzyme to work (pH 2- acidic)
What part does the rectum have to play in the digestive system?
The rectum stores the faeces (made up mostly of indigestible food) until they are expelled through the anus.
What does the small intestines do in the digestive system besides producing enzymes?
The small intestine absorbs digested food into the blood.
