7.4.5
Chemical Digestion - Stomach
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Stomach Acid and Bile
Enzyme activity is affected by pH. Gastric juices in the stomach are acidic, and bile is alkaline.

Gastric juices
- Gastric juices in the stomach contains hydrochloric acid.
- The acidic conditions are optimum for the enzyme pepsin in the stomach.
- The hydrochloric acid kills harmful microorganisms that make it into the stomach in food by denaturing their enzymes.

Bile
- Bile is produced in the liver, stored in the gall bladder and released into the small intestine.
- Bile is alkaline so neutralises the acid in food that comes from the stomach, which creates an optimal pH for enzymes in the small intestine.
- Bile also breaks down large fat droplets into smaller fat droplets, which is called emulsification. This creates a larger surface area for lipases to break down the fats.
1Classification of Living Organisms
1.1Characteristics of Living Organisms
1.2Concept and Uses of Classification Systems
2Organisation of the Organism
2.1Cell Structure
3Movement Into & Out of Cells
3.2Osmosis
4Biological Molecules
5Enzymes
6Plant Nutrition
6.1Photosynthesis
6.1.1Photosynthesis6.1.2Photosynthesis - Plant Gas Exchange6.1.3Photosynthesis in Farming6.1.4Uses of Glucose6.1.5Ion Deficiency Conditions6.1.6Rate of Photosynthesis6.1.7Photosynthesis Experiments6.1.8Photosynthesis Equation6.1.9Photosynthesis - Calculations6.1.10Limiting Factors6.1.11Grade 9 - Photosynthesis Experiment6.1.12Exam-Style Questions - Photosynthesis
7Human Nutrition
7.2Digestive System
7.3Physical Digestion
7.4Chemical Digestion
7.5Absorption
8Transport in Plants
8.1Xylem & Phloem
8.2Water Uptake
8.3Transpiration
9Transport in Animals
9.1Circulatory Systems
9.2Heart
9.3Blood Vessels
10Diseases & Immunity
10.1Diseases & Immunity
11Gas Exchange in Humans
12Respiration
13Excretion in Humans
14Coordination & Response
14.1Coordination & Response
14.2Sense Organs
14.3Hormones
14.4Homeostasis
14.4.1Homeostasis14.4.2Regulating Internal Conditions14.4.3Control Systems14.4.4Negative Feedback14.4.5Thermoregulation14.4.6Thermoregulation - Hot and Cold14.4.7Thermoregulation - Skin14.4.8Thermoregulation - Sweating & Shivering14.4.9Thermoregulation - Hairs14.4.10Thermoregulation - Blood Vessels14.4.11Blood Glucose14.4.12Detecting Glucose14.4.13Type 1 Diabetes14.4.14End of Topic Test - Homeostasis & Hormones14.4.15Grade 9 - Hormonal Coordination
16Reproduction
16.1Asexual Reproduction
16.2Sexual Reproduction
16.3Sexual Reproduction in Plants
16.4Sexual Reproduction in Humans
16.5Sex Hormones in Humans
16.6Sexually Transmitted Infections
17Inheritance
17.1Chromosomes, Genes & Proteins
17.2Mitosis & Meiosis
17.3Monohybrid Inheritance
17.3.1Alleles17.3.2Phenotype17.3.3Sex Determination17.3.4Monohybrid Inheritance17.3.5Punnett Square17.3.6Blood Groups17.3.7Sex-linked Disorders17.3.8Cystic Fibrosis17.3.9Cystic Fibrosis - Punnett Square17.3.10Cystic Fibrosis - Pedigree Diagram17.3.11Test Crosses17.3.12End of Topic Test - Genes & Inheritance
18Variation & Selection
18.1Variation
18.2Adaptive Features
19Organisms & Their Environment
19.1Energy Flow
19.2Food Chains & Food Webs
19.3Nutrient Cycles
20Human Influence on Ecosystems
20.1Food Supply
20.2Habitat Destruction
20.3Pollution
21Biotechnology & Genetic Modification
21.1Biotechnology & Genetic Modification
Jump to other topics
1Classification of Living Organisms
1.1Characteristics of Living Organisms
1.2Concept and Uses of Classification Systems
2Organisation of the Organism
2.1Cell Structure
3Movement Into & Out of Cells
3.2Osmosis
4Biological Molecules
5Enzymes
6Plant Nutrition
6.1Photosynthesis
6.1.1Photosynthesis6.1.2Photosynthesis - Plant Gas Exchange6.1.3Photosynthesis in Farming6.1.4Uses of Glucose6.1.5Ion Deficiency Conditions6.1.6Rate of Photosynthesis6.1.7Photosynthesis Experiments6.1.8Photosynthesis Equation6.1.9Photosynthesis - Calculations6.1.10Limiting Factors6.1.11Grade 9 - Photosynthesis Experiment6.1.12Exam-Style Questions - Photosynthesis
7Human Nutrition
7.2Digestive System
7.3Physical Digestion
7.4Chemical Digestion
7.5Absorption
8Transport in Plants
8.1Xylem & Phloem
8.2Water Uptake
8.3Transpiration
9Transport in Animals
9.1Circulatory Systems
9.2Heart
9.3Blood Vessels
10Diseases & Immunity
10.1Diseases & Immunity
11Gas Exchange in Humans
12Respiration
13Excretion in Humans
14Coordination & Response
14.1Coordination & Response
14.2Sense Organs
14.3Hormones
14.4Homeostasis
14.4.1Homeostasis14.4.2Regulating Internal Conditions14.4.3Control Systems14.4.4Negative Feedback14.4.5Thermoregulation14.4.6Thermoregulation - Hot and Cold14.4.7Thermoregulation - Skin14.4.8Thermoregulation - Sweating & Shivering14.4.9Thermoregulation - Hairs14.4.10Thermoregulation - Blood Vessels14.4.11Blood Glucose14.4.12Detecting Glucose14.4.13Type 1 Diabetes14.4.14End of Topic Test - Homeostasis & Hormones14.4.15Grade 9 - Hormonal Coordination
16Reproduction
16.1Asexual Reproduction
16.2Sexual Reproduction
16.3Sexual Reproduction in Plants
16.4Sexual Reproduction in Humans
16.5Sex Hormones in Humans
16.6Sexually Transmitted Infections
17Inheritance
17.1Chromosomes, Genes & Proteins
17.2Mitosis & Meiosis
17.3Monohybrid Inheritance
17.3.1Alleles17.3.2Phenotype17.3.3Sex Determination17.3.4Monohybrid Inheritance17.3.5Punnett Square17.3.6Blood Groups17.3.7Sex-linked Disorders17.3.8Cystic Fibrosis17.3.9Cystic Fibrosis - Punnett Square17.3.10Cystic Fibrosis - Pedigree Diagram17.3.11Test Crosses17.3.12End of Topic Test - Genes & Inheritance
18Variation & Selection
18.1Variation
18.2Adaptive Features
19Organisms & Their Environment
19.1Energy Flow
19.2Food Chains & Food Webs
19.3Nutrient Cycles
20Human Influence on Ecosystems
20.1Food Supply
20.2Habitat Destruction
20.3Pollution
21Biotechnology & Genetic Modification
21.1Biotechnology & Genetic Modification
Practice questions on Chemical Digestion - Stomach
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Which of these are true of gastric juices?True / false
- 2Gastric juices contain which acid?Multiple choice
- 3
- 4
- 5
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