Question

What is the purpose of breaking down the fat particles?

1) To increase their size
2) To decrease their size
3) To evenly distribute them
4) To separate them from other substances

Answer 1

The purpose of breaking down fat particles is to decrease their size, allowing for efficient enzymatic digestion by increasing their surface area, with bile salts facilitating this emulsification process.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of breaking down fat particles is to decrease their size. This process, known as emulsification, is crucial for efficient digestion. By breaking down large fat globules into smaller ones, emulsification increases the surface area of fats, which makes the enzyme lipase more effective in breaking down fats into their constituent fatty acids and glycerol, which can then be absorbed by the body. Bile salts play a key role in this process; they are detergents that can mix with both fat and water, thus breaking down large fat globules into smaller, suspended particles in the aqueous digestive environment. This is similar to how dishwashing soap emulsifies grease, preventing fat globules from rejoining and keeping them small and dispersed for effective enzymatic action.