Topic 2c - enzymes and digestion (3. enzymes and digestion) Flashcards
what is the digestive system
the organ system that breaks down food so that nutrients can be absorbed into the body from the gut.
what are the 2 ways food can be broken down
mechanical and chemical digestion
what is mechanical digestion
when our teeth grind down food for us and our stomach churning food up.
what is chemical digestion
where enzymes help to break down food
why does our body need to break up food
starch protein and lipids are big molecules. they are too big to pass through the digestive system walls so they need to be broken down into smaller molecules like sugars, glycerol, amino acids and fatty acids. these molecules can pass easily through the digestive system walls allowing them to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
what are the different types of enzymes
carbohydrase
proteases
lipases
what does carbohydrase break down
carbohydrates convert carbohydrates into simple sugars. analyse is a type of carbohydrase
amylase enzyme
starch ————————-> maltose (other sugars)
what do proteases break down
convert proteins into amino acids
what do lipase break down
catalyse the conversion of lipids into glycerol and fatty acids
where is amalyse made in
salivary glands, small intestine, pancreas, works in the mouth and the small intestine
where are proteases made
stomach, pancreas, small intestine. work in the stomach and small intestine.
where are lipases made
pancreas, small intestine. work in small intestine.
what is bile
bile is produced in the liver, stored in the gall bladder before its released into the small intestine. the hydrochloric acid in the stomach is too acidic for enzymes in the small intestine to work. bile is alkaline so it neutralises it. also breaks down fats into small droplets. gives a larger surface area of fat for the enzyme lipase to work on as it makes digestion quicker.
