Question

What processes take place in the stomach?

Answer 1

Stomach:

1. It serves as a muscular bag that is situated on the left side of the abdominal cavity, beneath the diaphragm.
2. This vital organ acts as a storage for the food and provides enough time to digest meals.
3. The stomach also produces digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid that maintains the process of digestion.

Mucous:

1. It is an aqueous secretion produced by mucous membranes.
2. It functions by protecting the stomach lining and gastric pits from the acid, which is produced by the glands to destroy the bacteria that entered along with the food particles.

Digestive enzymes:

1. They are the group of enzymes that functions by breaking down polymeric macromolecules like biopolymers into their smaller and simpler substances.
2. Proteases: Break down protein into small peptides and amino acids.
3. Lipases: Break down fat into three fatty acids plus a glycerol molecule.
4. Amylases: Break down carbs like starch into simple sugars.

Hydrochloric acid:

1. It is the digestive fluid formed by the stomach during the process of digestion.
2. It functions by destroying harmful microorganisms present in the food particles.
3. It works as a cofactor for enzymes in the stomach.

Following are the processes taking place in the stomach :

1. Storage – a meal is consumed and materials are released into the duodenum to digest. It can take up to a few hours for complete digestion here
2. Chemical digestion – pepsin starts the digestion of protein splitting large polypeptides into short chains
3. Some absorption – electrolytes, water, fat-soluble molecules, monosaccharides, and some more substances are absorbed in the stomach to a level
4. Mechanical digestion – churning action of muscular leads to liquefaction and mix up of contents producing acid chyme