Short Answer Type

1. Why do we need a digestive system?

We need a digestive system to:

 Break down complex food molecules (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) into simpler,
absorbable forms.
 Absorb nutrients for energy, growth, and repair.
 Eliminate undigested and waste materials from the body.

2. Why is the small intestine in herbivores longer than in carnivores?

Herbivores primarily consume plant-based food, which contains cellulose.

 Reason: Cellulose is difficult to digest, and breaking it down requires more time and
surface area for absorption.
 A longer small intestine helps herbivores efficiently absorb nutrients from their
fibrous plant diet.
 In contrast, carnivores eat meat, which is easier to digest, so their small intestine is
shorter.

3. What is peristalsis? What is its significance?

Peristalsis is the rhythmic, wave-like contraction of muscles in the alimentary canal (such as
the esophagus, stomach, and intestines).
Significance:

 It helps propel food forward along the digestive tract.

 It aids in the mixing of food with digestive juices for digestion.
 It ensures that food and waste move in one direction, preventing backward flow.

4. Functions of the following in the digestive process:

(i) Bile:

 Produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder.

 Function: It emulsifies fats (breaks large fat globules into smaller droplets),
increasing the surface area for enzyme action.

(ii) Bicarbonates:
  Secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine.
 Function: Neutralize acidic chyme (partially digested food) coming from the stomach
to provide an optimal pH for enzymatic activity.

(iii) Trypsin:

 An enzyme secreted in the inactive form (trypsinogen) by the pancreas and activated
in the small intestine.
 Function: It breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids.

5. What will happen if mucus is not secreted by the gastric glands?

If mucus is not secreted:

 The hydrochloric acid (HCl) and digestive enzymes in the stomach will damage the
stomach walls.
 This could lead to gastric ulcers or inflammation as the stomach lining will be
exposed to acidic conditions.

6. Write the end-products of the digestion of primary nutrients in our food.

 Carbohydrates → Simple sugars (like glucose)

 Proteins → Amino acids
 Fats (Lipids) → Fatty acids and glycerol

7. Mention three ways in which the small intestine is adapted to make

absorption of digested food more efficient.

1. Villi and Microvilli: The small intestine has finger-like projections called villi and
microvilli, which increase the surface area for absorption.
2. Rich blood supply: The villi have a dense network of blood capillaries for efficient
transport of nutrients.
3. Thin walls: The walls of the small intestine are very thin, facilitating quick diffusion
of nutrients into the bloodstream.

8. What is the significance of emulsification of fats?

 Emulsification is the process where bile breaks down large fat globules into smaller
droplets.
 This increases the surface area of fats, making it easier for lipase (fat-digesting
enzyme) to act and break fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
9. Why is the pancreas called a mixed gland?

The pancreas is called a mixed gland because:

 It has both exocrine and endocrine functions.

o Exocrine function: Secretes digestive enzymes (like amylase, lipase, trypsin)
into the small intestine.
o Endocrine function: Secretes hormones like insulin and glucagon into the
blood to regulate blood sugar levels.

10. Why are enzymes called biocatalysts?

 Enzymes are called biocatalysts because they speed up biochemical reactions in

living organisms.
 They lower the activation energy required for reactions without being consumed in
the process.

11. What are the inactive forms of pepsin and trypsin? Why are they secreted
in inactive forms?

 Pepsin is secreted as pepsinogen, and trypsin is secreted as trypsinogen.

 Reason for inactivity: These enzymes are secreted in inactive forms to prevent the
digestion of the cells and tissues that produce them.
o Pepsinogen is activated to pepsin in the presence of HCl.
o Trypsinogen is activated to trypsin by enterokinase in the small intestine.

12. What enzymes does pancreatic juice contain?

Pancreatic juice contains:

 Amylase: Breaks down starch into maltose.

 Trypsin: Breaks proteins into peptides and amino acids.
 Lipase: Breaks fats into fatty acids and glycerol.

13. What are vestigial organs? Give one example from our digestive system.

 Vestigial organs are organs that have lost their original function during the course of
evolution.
 Example: The appendix in humans is a vestigial organ. It was once involved in the
digestion of cellulose in ancestral species.
14. Bile does not contain any enzymes, but it is essential for digestion. How?

 Bile does not have digestive enzymes, but it contains bile salts.
 These bile salts help in the emulsification of fats, breaking large fat globules into
smaller droplets.
 This process increases the surface area for the enzyme lipase to act, aiding fat
digestion.

Long Answer Type

1. What is an enzyme? What are its main characteristics?

An enzyme is a biological catalyst that accelerates chemical reactions in living organisms.

Main characteristics of enzymes:

 Specificity: Enzymes are specific to the substrate (the substance they act upon).
 Efficiency: They increase the rate of reactions by lowering the activation energy
required.
 Reusability: Enzymes are not consumed in the reaction; they are reused.
 Optimal Conditions: Enzymes work best at a specific temperature and pH.
 Structure: Enzymes are usually proteins with a unique three-dimensional shape that
is crucial for their function.

2. What is the liver? What are its main functions in our body?

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body, located on the right side of the abdomen.
Main functions:

1. Bile production: The liver produces bile, which helps in the digestion of fats.
2. Detoxification: It detoxifies harmful substances like drugs and alcohol.
3. Storage: The liver stores glycogen, vitamins, and minerals.
4. Metabolism: It regulates blood sugar levels and converts excess glucose into
glycogen.
5. Protein synthesis: The liver produces blood-clotting proteins and albumin.

3. What is the pancreas? Explain its role in digestion.

The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach that has both endocrine and exocrine
functions.
Role in digestion:

 The exocrine function involves the secretion of pancreatic juice, which contains
digestive enzymes like amylase, trypsin, and lipase. These enzymes help break down
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the small intestine.
 The endocrine function involves the secretion of insulin and glucagon, hormones
that regulate blood sugar levels.

4. Explain in brief the digestion process that occurs in the small intestine in
the digestive system.

In the small intestine, digestion and absorption of nutrients occur in several steps:

1. Chyme from the stomach enters the small intestine, which is acidic.
2. Bile from the liver emulsifies fats, breaking them into smaller droplets.
3. Pancreatic enzymes like lipase, amylase, and trypsin break down fats, carbohydrates,
and proteins into absorbable molecules (fatty acids, glucose, amino acids).
4. Villi and microvilli in the small intestine increase the surface area for nutrient
absorption.
5. The nutrients are absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the
bloodstream and lymphatic system.

5. Explain: (a) Absorption (b) Assimilation.

 (a) Absorption: This is the process by which the digested nutrients (like glucose,
amino acids, fatty acids) are taken up from the digestive tract (small intestine) into the
bloodstream or lymphatic system.
 (b) Assimilation: After absorption, assimilation refers to the process in which the
absorbed nutrients are utilized by the body for energy, growth, and repair. This
includes the use of glucose in cellular respiration or the incorporation of amino acids
into proteins.

6. Draw a well-labelled diagram of our digestive system.

Since I can't draw, I can guide you to draw a simple diagram:

1. Draw the mouth, followed by the esophagus leading to the stomach.

2. Next, draw the small intestine, with duodenum, jejunum, and ileum labeled.
3. Add the large intestine (ascending, transverse, descending colon) and the rectum.
4. Label accessory organs: the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.
7. What are villi and what is their function?

 Villi are finger-like projections present in the walls of the small intestine.
 Function: Villi increase the surface area for absorption, allowing for more efficient
uptake of nutrients from the digestive contents into the bloodstream.

8. Explain the digestion in the buccal cavity and stomach.

 In the buccal cavity (mouth):

1. Mechanical digestion: Teeth break food into smaller pieces.
2. Chemical digestion: Salivary glands secrete saliva, which contains amylase
to break down starch into simpler sugars (like maltose).
3. The chewed food forms a bolus, which is swallowed.
 In the stomach:
1. Mechanical digestion: The stomach churns food, mixing it with gastric juices.
2. Chemical digestion: The gastric glands secrete hydrochloric acid and pepsin
(inactive form as pepsinogen). Pepsin starts breaking down proteins into
smaller peptides.
3. The stomach also secretes mucus to protect the lining from the acidic
environment.