General Overview - Nutrients and Digestion

Question 1

What is a nutrient?

Answer 1

A substance that has a useful function when taken into your body.

Question 2

What are macronutrients, and can you give examples?

Answer 2

Nutrients required in relatively large amounts. Examples include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Question 3

What is the general formula for carbohydrates?

Answer 3

Cn(H2O)n.

Question 4

What are monosaccharides, and can you name three examples?

Answer 4

Monosaccharides are single sugars with the formula C6H12O6. Examples include glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Question 5

What is lactose intolerance?

Answer 5

A condition where people lack the enzyme lactase and cannot break down lactose (milk sugar).

Question 6

What are proteins made of?

Answer 6

Proteins are made of long chains of amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids, 9 of which are essential and must be obtained through diet.

Question 7

What is denaturation in proteins?

Answer 7

The permanent change in the 3D shape of a protein, which causes it to lose its function.

Question 8

What are triglycerides composed of?

Answer 8

One glycerol molecule and three fatty acid chains.

Question 9

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?

Answer 9

Saturated fats have only single bonds between carbon atoms (C-C), while unsaturated fats have at least one double bond (C=C).

Question 10

What are enzymes, and what do they do?

Answer 10

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in the body by lowering activation energy.

Question 11

What are the two models of enzyme activity?

Answer 11

The Lock & Key model and the Induced Fit model.

Question 12

How does temperature affect enzyme activity?

Answer 12

Enzymes function best at an optimal temperature (37°C for humans). High temperatures can denature enzymes, while low temperatures reduce their flexibility and activity.

Question 13

What is competitive inhibition in enzyme activity?

Answer 13

It occurs when a molecule similar in shape to the substrate binds to the enzyme’s active site, preventing the substrate from binding.

Question 14

What is digestion?

Answer 14

The process of breaking down large, complex organic molecules into small particles that can be absorbed and utilized by the body’s tissues.

Question 15

What are the four components of digestion?

Answer 15

Ingestion, Digestion, Absorption, and Egestion.

Question 16

What are the two types of digestion?

Answer 16

1. Physical Digestion: Mechanical process of breaking down food. 2. Chemical Digestion: Enzymes break down food through hydrolysis.

Question 17

What are the accessory organs involved in digestion?

Answer 17

Salivary glands, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, and endocrine glands.

Question 18

What enzymes are involved in the digestion of proteins?

Answer 18

Proteases such as pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and peptidases.

Question 19

What role does the small intestine play in digestion?

Answer 19

It is the major site of digestion and absorption of macromolecule subunits.

Question 20

What are the three sections of the small intestine?

Answer 20

Duodenum, Jejunum, and Ileum.

Question 21

What is the function of bile in digestion?

Answer 21

Bile emulsifies fats, increasing the surface area for lipase to break down fats.

Question 22

What are villi and microvilli, and what is their function?

Answer 22

Villi and microvilli are small finger-like projections in the small intestine that increase the surface area for absorption.

Question 23

How are carbohydrates digested in the small intestine?

Answer 23

Carbohydrates are broken down by enzymes like amylase, maltase, sucrase, and lactase into simple sugars such as glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Question 24

What is the role of the pancreas in digestion?

Answer 24

The pancreas releases enzymes like proteases, amylase, and lipase, as well as bicarbonate ions to neutralize stomach acid.

Question 25

What are the two main functions of the large intestine?

Answer 25

Absorption of water and minerals, and concentration and elimination of waste.