Question

Chief function of HCl is.

• A. To maintain low pH to promote growth of microorganisms
• B. To facilitate absorption
• C. To maintain low pH to activate pepsinogen to form pepsin
• D. To dissolve enzymes secreted in stomach.

Answer 1

The correct option is C

To maintain low pH to activate pepsinogen to form pepsin

The correct option is C.

Explanations for correct option:

1. Hydrochloric acid is necessary stomach acid.
2. It aids in the destruction of bacteria as well as other dangerous organisms.
3. It also serves as a food preservative.
4. To digest proteins in our stomach, HCl transforms inactive pepsinogen into active pepsin.
5. Apart from mucus, HCl functions as another stomach cover to prevent pepsin from digesting the entire stomach.

Explanation for incorrect options:

Option A:

1. The main component of gastric secretion is hydrochloric acid, which is released by the "Parietal cells."
2. It keeps the stomach's acidic pH stable, which is necessary for turning inactive pepsinogen into active pepsin.
3. Additionally, the protein structure is denaturized by HCl, making it susceptible to digestion.
4. It also eliminates the dangerous microorganisms that are growing in the stomach.

Option B:

1. Every day, we eat a variety of foods, and the digestion and absorption of those foods are necessary and crucial steps.
2. Our bodies obtain all the nutrients and minerals they need from the food we eat, and the body immediately absorbs the food's energy.
3. However, absorption and assimilation of food are two distinct processes.
4. Assimilation of food occurs when food enters the alimentary canal and is broken down into simpler components with the aid of body-produced enzymes.
5. Assimilation of food is the process by which food is broken down into smaller components.

Option D:

1. The capacity to digest food is referred to as digestion. In this method, food is treated with heat, enzymes, or a solvent in order to speed up decomposition or extract vital nutrients.
2. This process breaks down big food molecules that are insoluble in water into smaller food molecules that are soluble in water, allowing for absorption into the watery blood plasma.
3. These tiny molecules enter the circulation through the small intestine in certain species.
4. The digestive tract/system plays a very important part during all of this processing.

Final answer: Chief function of HCl is to maintain low pH to activate pepsinogen to form pepsin.