Question

Name two components of the digestive system that perform mechanical digestion. Describe how mechanical digestion contributes to acquiring nutrients from food.

a) Stomach and pancreas; break down large food particles into smaller ones
b) Mouth and stomach; facilitate the breakdown of carbohydrates
c) Teeth and stomach; increase nutrient absorption
d) Mouth and intestines; help in chemical breakdown of nutrients

Answer 1

Mechanical digestion refers to the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces and takes place mainly in the mouth and stomach, paving the way for chemical digestion and nutrient absorption.

Step-by-step explanation:

The two components of the digestive system that perform mechanical digestion are the mouth and the stomach. Mechanical digestion is the process which involves the physical breakdown of large chunks of food into smaller pieces, making them easier to digest chemically. This starts in the mouth where the teeth chew the food, and it continues in the stomach where the food is mixed and churned, further breaking it down.

Mechanical digestion contributes to acquiring nutrients from food by increasing the surface area of the food particles, thereby making it more accessible for enzymes to chemically digest the food. The smaller the particles, the easier they are to be broken down into molecules small enough to be absorbed in the intestines.