Final answer:
Starch is broken down into simple sugars beginning with the enzyme salivary amylase in the mouth, which attacks the starch chains producing maltose and dextrins, and is followed by maltase in the small intestine to produce glucose units.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Starch is Broken Down into Simple Sugar-
The process of breaking down starch into simple sugar begins in the mouth and continues through the digestive system. Starch is a complex carbohydrate made up of glucose monomers linked by glycosidic bonds, specifically 1-4 or 1-6, depending on whether the structure is linear (amylose) or branched (amylopectin).
The digestion of carbohydrates starts in the mouth where salivary amylase begins to break down starch into shorter chains, producing maltose and dextrins. This enzyme remains active until it encounters the acidic environment of the stomach, where it is inactivated. Once in the small intestine, other enzymes such as maltase further break down the maltose into individual glucose units, which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. This hypothesis is determined based on a close observation of the digestive process as well as existing scientific illustrations and explanations of carbohydrate digestion.
Thus, my hypothesis is that starch is broken down into simple sugars through the action of specific digestive enzymes, with amylase playing a crucial role in the initial stage, followed by other enzymes like maltase completing the digestion process. The methodology involves reviewing scientific literature and visual aids that depict the enzymatic breakdown of carbohydrates from consumption to absorption.