Maris Stella High School Class (Index No.

): ____ ( )
Secondary 4 Biology Name: ___________________
GEP Term 3 Lesson 2 Topic 4 Date: _____________
Nutrition in Man

1(a) Explain what is meant by the following terms:

Ingestion: Intake of food into the body through the mouth
Digestion: Breakdown of food into soluble and diffusible molecules that can be absorbed by
the body cells
Absorption: Process where digested food is taken into body cells

1(b) Where, in a mammal, are the following substances stored, and what part does each play in a
mammal’s metabolism?
i) Carbohydrates:
Stored in the form of glycogen mainly in the liver and muscles
Used as energy source, eg. glucose is used during respiration for energy
May be converted into other organic compounds
Synthesis of nucleic acids & lubricants
ii) Fats:
Stored under the skin and between organs
Is a source and store of energy and can be broken down to give energy
Provides insulation
Solvent for fat-soluble vitamins and other substances
Used for synthesis of cell membranes

2. Describe what happens to fats as they pass through the following regions:
i) Mouth cavity: No fat digestion as no lipase produced in the salivary glands
ii)Duodenum
Bile from the liver emulsifies fat into fat globules, increasing surface area for action of lipase
Lipases from pancreas and intestinal glands would hydrolyse fat into fatty acids and glycerol

iii) Rest of small intestine

In the ileum, the fatty acids would combine with bile salts to form soluble soaps, which are
absorbed into the epithelial cells along with the glycerol
Soluble soaps would recombine with glycerol inside the epithelial cells to form fat globules
which are absorbed into the lacteals in the villi of the small intestine, and are carried away

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Maris Stella High School Essay Questions:
Secondary 4 Science Biology Topic 4

3a) Describe the parts played in the digestion and assimilation of food by:
i)The pancreas
Secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum: Amylase hydrolyses starch into maltose,
Trypsin hydrolyses proteins into peptides, Lipase hydrolyses fats into fatty acids and
glycerol
Secretes insulin into bloodstream:
Enables uptake and use of glucose by cells
Controls conversion of excess glucose into glycogen
ii)The liver
Produces bile which is secreted into the duodenum, Emulsifies fats into fat globules to increase
surface area for lipase action, Enables absorption of products of fat digestion, Excess amino
acids are deaminated, Excess glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen, Fats are converted into
other forms or stored

3b) As a result of intestinal disease, parts of the alimentary canal are sometimes surgically
removed. Suggest the effect on lifestyle and on digestive function of removing:
i)The stomach: Digestion of proteins is reduced, Gut cannot accommodate large meals, Person
can only consume small portions of food that are easily digestible
ii) The colon: Absorption of water and minerals are reduced, Diarrhoea may result, leading to
loss of water and minerals, Person should replace water and mineral loss

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