enzymes and digestion

• What do digestive enzymes break down into?

  Big molecules like starch, protein, and fats
• Why are big molecules broken down by digestive enzymes?


  Because they are too big to pass through digestive system walls
• What are the products of digestion by enzymes?


  Sugars, amino acids, glycerol, and fatty acids
• What do carbohydrases convert carbohydrates into?


  Simple sugars
• Where is amylase found?


  In salivary glands, pancreas, and small intestine
• What do proteases break down?


  Proteins into amino acids
• Where are proteases produced?


  In the stomach and pancreas
• What do lipases convert lipids into?


  Glycerol and fatty acids
• Where are lipases made?


  In the pancreas and small intestine
• What is bile made from?


  It is made in the liver
• Where is bile stored?


  In the gall bladder
• What is the function of bile in the digestive system?


  To neutralize stomach acid and emulsify fats
• How does bile affect the digestion of fats?


  It increases the surface area for faster digestion
• What are the main digestive enzymes and their functions?


  • Carbohydrases: Carbohydrates → simple sugars
  • Proteases: Proteins → amino acids
  • Lipases: Lipids → glycerol & fatty acids
• How are enzymes produced in the digestive system?


  By specialized cells in glands and gut lining
• What is the role of different enzymes in digestion?


  Different enzymes catalyze the breakdown of different food molecules
• What are enzymes classified as?


  Catalysts produced by living things
• What is a catalyst?


  A substance that increases the speed of a reaction without being changed or used up
• What are enzymes made of?


  Chains of amino acids
• What is the lock and key model of enzyme action?


  Only a specific substrate can fit into the enzyme's active site
• What happens to the enzyme after it catalyzes a reaction?


  It remains unchanged
• What must happen for a substrate to be catalyzed by an enzyme?


  The substrate must fit into the enzyme's active site
• What are the key components of the digestive system and their functions?

  • Salivary glands: Produce amylase
  • Stomach: Produces pepsin and hydrochloric acid
  • Pancreas: Produces protease, amylase, lipase
  • Gall bladder: Stores bile
  • Small intestine: Absorbs nutrients
  • Rectum: Stores feces
• What is the role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach?


  To kill bacteria and provide the right pH for pepsin
• How does temperature affect enzyme reactions?

  Higher temperatures can speed up reactions but too high can denature enzymes
• What happens to enzymes at very high temperatures?


  They can become denatured
• Why are enzymes considered biological catalysts?


  Because they speed up biological reactions without being consumed
• What is the function of the rectum in the digestive system?


  To store feces
• How do enzymes contribute to digestion?


  They catalyze the breakdown of food into absorbable molecules
• How do the functions of the stomach and small intestine differ in digestion?


  The stomach digests food chemically, while the small intestine absorbs nutrients