#biology

#mechanicaldigestion

#digestivesystem

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Mechanical digestion is the physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces, preparing it for chemical digestion. Here’s how it happens, step by step:

1. Mouth (Chewing): The process starts in the mouth when you chew your food. Teeth grind the food into smaller pieces, increasing the surface area for enzymes to act on. Your tongue helps mix the food with saliva, forming a soft mass called a bolus.

2. Swallowing: The tongue pushes the bolus to the back of your mouth, where it is swallowed and moves down the esophagus.

3. Stomach (Churning): In the stomach, muscles contract and relax, mixing the food with gastric juices. This process, called churning, further breaks down the food into a semi-liquid form called chyme.

4. Small Intestine (Segmentation): Once in the small intestine, muscles continue to contract and push the chyme forward, breaking it down even more through a process called segmentation.

This mechanical process makes it easier for enzymes to act on the food and absorb nutrients.

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