The Start Of Digestion |
So there you are, sitting at lunch, enjoying some grilled cheese sandwich and a few orange wedges. When you're finished, you take a last drink of coffee, wipe your mouth, and head to your next class. In a few minutes you're thinking about the capital of Oregon or your next science project. You've completely forgotten about that sandwich you just ate. But it's still in your stomach — sort of like a science experiment that happens all the time!
While processing food comes naturally to us, have you ever wondered how our stomach breaks down food, and how our organs work together to convert food into an usable energy without us even noticing it? Well, this website is going to answer all the questions you might have about digestion. |
What Is Digestion
To understand how digestion works, we have to first know the definition of digestion. Digestion is
the breakdown of food into
smaller components that can be more easily absorbed and assimilated by the
body. In certain organisms, these smaller substances are absorbed through the small intestine into the blood stream. Digestion is a form of catabolism that
is often divided into two processes based on how food is broken down:
mechanical and chemical digestion. The term mechanical
digestion refers
to the physical breakdown of large pieces of food into smaller pieces which can later on be accessed by digestive enzymes. In chemical digestion, enzymes break
down food into the small molecules the body can use.
Digestion combines two elements of science, biology and chemistry, and together they form a crucial procedure that no human could live without.
Digestion combines two elements of science, biology and chemistry, and together they form a crucial procedure that no human could live without.
Questions That Need To Be Answered
We are always asking questions, from the moment we were born to even now! Why is the sky blue? What is the meaning of life? In the field of science, scientists are always trying to come up with new questions and ways of solving them. These are a few questions which you might have about digestion:
1. How does digested food reach the bloodstream? (biology)
2. What are the advantages/disadvantages of stomach acid? (chemistry)
3. What is the pH inside the stomach? (chemistry)
4. What is the digestive enzyme that acts within the stomach? (chemistry)
5. What is the chemical composition of enzymes? (chemistry)
6. How long does the process of digestion take? (biology)
7. Which organs of the body are part of the human digestive system? (biology)
8. How does vomiting relate to digestion? (biology)
All questions will be answered on either the biology or chemistry page.
1. How does digested food reach the bloodstream? (biology)
2. What are the advantages/disadvantages of stomach acid? (chemistry)
3. What is the pH inside the stomach? (chemistry)
4. What is the digestive enzyme that acts within the stomach? (chemistry)
5. What is the chemical composition of enzymes? (chemistry)
6. How long does the process of digestion take? (biology)
7. Which organs of the body are part of the human digestive system? (biology)
8. How does vomiting relate to digestion? (biology)
All questions will be answered on either the biology or chemistry page.