Question

Describe what happens to large molecules during digestion.

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

During digestion, large molecules are broken down into smaller components through a series of chemical and mechanical processes. The process begins in the mouth, where food is chewed and mixed with saliva containing enzymes that start breaking down carbohydrates.

The food then travels down the esophagus to the stomach, where it is mixed with stomach acid and enzymes that continue to break down proteins. The stomach contractions also help to further break down the food into smaller particles.

Next, the partially digested food enters the small intestine, where enzymes produced by the pancreas and small intestine break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into their simplest forms – glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids. These molecules can then be absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal lining.

Any remaining undigested material, including fiber, moves into the large intestine where water is absorbed and waste is eventually eliminated from the body.

Overall, the digestion process allows the body to extract necessary nutrients from food and convert them into forms that can be used for energy, growth, and repair in the body.