Digestion(Unit 5.06 and 5.

07)

Digestion is the process of breaking down

large insoluble food molecules into small
soluble ones so they can be absorbed by the
body cells. It happens in the alimentary canal
or the gut!

Alimentary Canal: Mouth->Oesophagus->

Stomach->Small Intestine->Large Intestine->
Rectum->Anus

Steps of Digestion:

1) Ingestion= Taking food into the mouth,

chewing it into smaller particles(mastication)
and mixing food with saliva to help
swallowing the food easily. It happens in the
mouth.
Cooked Starch Salivary Amylase Maltose (half digested carbohydrate)

2) Digestion= Two types: Chemical and

Mechanical, breaking down food into small
particles.
3) Absorption= Food passes into the
bloodstream. It happens in the small and
large intestine.
4) Assimilation= Using up the nutrients by the
body(food used for energy,growth and repair)
5) Egestion(Defecation)= Removal of
indigested food through the anus. Substances
that cannot be digested(and are passed
through the anus) are called faeces.
Name Simple Enzymes Digestion Digestion
Form starts in ends in
1)Carbohydrates Glucose Carbohydrases(Amylase) Mouth Ileum

2)Proteins Amino Proteases(pepsin) Stomach Ileum

Acids

3)Fats & Oils Fatty Acids Lipase Duodenum Ileum

(Lipids) and
Glycerol

4)Vitamins & Minerals- None None None

Minerals Ionic Form
Vitamins-
Already
broken
down

Peristalsis: The rhythmic contraction and

relaxation of the gut muscles which help to
move the food bolus forward.
Epiglottis: Flap of muscle that prevents food
from entering trachea and air from entering
oesophagus.
Stomach 
The food bolus stimulates the stomach to
produce gastric juices. Gastric juices are
produced by the glands concentrated in the
stomach wall.
Composition of gastric juice:
1) HCl – It makes the stomach acidic so that
Pepsin and Rennin can work. It also kills
germs.
2) Pepsin – Protein Pepsin Polypeptides
3) Rennin – It solidifies milk and milk
products. It is found in infants.
Stomach turns the food into a creamy liquid
called chyme. When the chyme is ready, a
muscular valve known pyloric splincter
relaxes and chyme passes into the
duodenum.
Composition of Chyme: Raw protein,
vitamins, minerals, raw starch, HCl, lipids,
polypeptides and maltose.

Duodenum receives three liquids-

1) Bile-----
 received from the gall bladder
 does not contain any digestive enzymes
 helps in digestion by emulsifying fat molecules
 made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder
 neutralizes stomach acids.
 2)Pancreatic Juice-----
 Contains pancreatic amylase( to digest starch),
pancreatic trypsin, lipase(to digest fats and oils) and
protease( to continue protein digestion)
3) Intestinal Juice----
 Contains maltase, sucrose, lactase, polypeptidase and
lipase (read the points in the book)
 maltose maltase glucose + glucose

sucrose sucrase glucose + fructose

lactose lactase glucose + galactose

polypeptides polypeptidase amino acids

lipids lipase fatty acids + glycerol