Final answer:
The small mass of masticated food ready to be swallowed is called a bolus. Mechanical and chemical digestion in the mouth prepare the food into a bolus, which can then be swallowed and continue the digestion process in the esophagus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The small mass of masticated food ready to be swallowed is called a bolus.
In the process of digestion, the food is broken down into smaller molecules through chemical and mechanical digestion. Mechanical digestion starts in the mouth, where food is chewed and mixed with saliva. This chewing process increases the surface area of the food and produces the bolus. Chemical digestion begins with the enzymes in saliva that start breaking down carbohydrates in the food.
Once the food is mechanically and chemically processed in the mouth, it forms the bolus, which can then be swallowed and travels down the esophagus to continue digestion.
A small mass of masticated food ready to be swallowed is known as a bolus. The process where this occurs is called ingestion. When food is taken in through the mouth, it is masticated, or chewed, mixing with saliva which contains enzymes that start the digestion of carbohydrates and some fats.
The chewing action breaks down the food into smaller pieces, increasing its surface area and making it easier to digest. This mechanically altered food is then shaped into a bolus that can easily travel down the esophagus. Ingestion is the first step of catabolism, which is the breakdown of food into absorbable molecules, a process that continues throughout the digestive system.