Question

What type of reaction is the digestion of food in our body?

Answer 1

1. DECOMPOSITION REACTION: When a single substance is broken down into two or simpler substances, then such a reaction is called a decomposition reaction.

The general form of this reaction can be written as,

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{AB}\to \mathrm{A}+\mathrm{B} \\ \mathrm{Reactant}\mathrm{Products} \end{gathered}$$

2. DIGESTION OF FOOD: Digestion of food involves the breaking down of complex molecules present in food (like starch) into simpler substances needed by the body with the help of enzymes.

3. For example, the starch in carbohydrates is broken down into glucose by amylase. The chemical equation can be written as:

$$\begin{gathered} {\left({\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{10}{\mathrm{O}}_5\right)}_{\mathrm{n}}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{amylase},{\mathrm{nH}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}{\to }{\mathrm{nC}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6\left(\mathrm{aq}\right) \\ \mathrm{Starch}\mathrm{Glucose} \end{gathered}$$

Since there is a breaking down of starch into many molecules of glucose, the type of reaction is decomposition.

4. Hence, the digestion of food is therefore a decomposition reaction.