- 1. How does the food change in consistency and form?
- It occurs during digestion. When food enters the mouth, it would be broken down through mastication. Saliva that has enzymes mixes with food and breaks down carbohydrates resulting to a bolus.
- Bolus would then travels to the esophagus then the stomach, where it would be mixed with gastric juices that have enzymes. Proteins would be broken into smaller peptides resulting into a liquid mixture called chyme.
- Chyme would then go to the small intestine, enzymes from the pancreas and bile breaks down the macromolecules. From carbohydrates to glucose, proteins to amino acids, and fats to fatty acids and glycerol.
- Undigested materials in the large intestine solidifies and turns into feces or stool.
- 2. How could the body absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat?
- Our small intestine that have blood vessels and lymph vessels (lacteals) in our villi— increase our intestine’s surface area for absorption. They absorb nutrients which is then transported to cells throughout the body that are used for energy, growth, and repair.
- Our large intestine can also absorb but only water and minerals, undigested food or materials solidifies and turns into feces or stool.