Chap 6: Nutrition (Essay Exercises)

1 (a) Starch provides energy for human daily activities. Explain how starch in bread when consumed is converted
to ATP in cells. [10m]

Region pH Digestive Enzyme Substrate Product

juice
Mouth 7.0 Saliva Amylase Starch Maltose
Stomach 2.0 Gastric Pepsin Protein Polypeptides
juice
Duodenum 8.0 Pancreatic Trypsin Polypeptides Peptide
juice Amylase Starch Maltose
Lipase Lipids Fatty acids + glycerol
Liver Bile Emulsifier Large Smaller droplets
(Secrete) droplets of (larger surface area
Gallbladder fats over which lipase can
(store) work)
Neutralises Acidic Alkaline condition
S. intestine 8.5 Intestinal Maltase Maltose Glucose
juice Sucrase Sucrose Fructose + Glucose
Lactase Lactose Galactose + Fructose
Eripsin Peptides Amino acids
Lipase Lipids Fatty acids + glycerol
 The digestion process of starch will begin in the mouth where some starch will be hydrolysed by salivary 1
amylase into maltose. (can mention about chewing)
Food does not stay long inside the mouth, as a result, digestion predominantly occurs in the duodenum. 1
The food particles will be passed down through oesophagus and stomach to the duodenum. 1
In the duodenum, pancreatic amylase will be secreted by pancreas to hydrolyse starch into maltose. 1
Maltase found in the small intestine will further breakdown maltose into glucose (monosaccharide) 1
Most of the glucose derived from blood is transported via the blood stream to the peripheral tissues. 1
Elevated concentrations of glucose in blood stimulate release of insulin, and insulin acts on cells 1
throughout the body to stimulate uptake, utilization and storage of glucose.
The hormone insulin enables glucose to be taken up by the cells and used as an energy source via the 1
glycolysis pathway in cellular respiration
During cellular respiration, glucose is converted into carbon dioxide and water in the presence of oxygen 1

Glucose + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + water

During this process, the energy stored in glucose is transferred to ATP 1
About 36-38ATP molecules are produced for every glucose molecule 1
Max
10

(b) Listed below are health problems related to poor eating habits

• Gastritis
• Obesity
• Anorexia nervosa

Explain the relationship between eating habits and the health problems stated above. [10m]

Gastritis
- D:
- C:
- P:
Obesity
- D:
- C:
- P:
Anorexia nervosa
- D:
- C:
- P:

2. Figure 2.1 shows the structure of a villus in human small intestine.

(a) (i) Based on Figure 2.1 explain three structural adaptations of the small intestine for effective
absorption of digested food. [6m]

Small intestine is long (6.25m) - Increase time for digestion

Numerous villi
The epithelium of the villus is only one-celled thick
Network of blood capillaries and lacteal
- Increase total surface area for absorption
- Increasing the internal surface area of the ileum
for absorption
- Allowing the digested food to be absorbed
easily into blood capillaries/ lacteal
- To transport the digested food that has been
absorbed
Max: 6

(ii) The main food for baby is milk. Describe the digestion of milk in the stomach. [4m]

Milk contains protein, fat and lactose.

Mouth: x reaction with enzyme
Stomach: milk protein (caseinogen)—renin → casein (insoluble milk)
Casein – pepsin→ peptone & polypeptide
Duodenum: polypeptide + water –trypsin→ peptides
Peptone + water –trypsin→ peptides
Ileum: peptide + water –erpsin→ amino acids
Max 4

(b) A patient has organ X removed. Explain the effects of the removal of organ X on enzyme and
hormones and how these affect the digestion and level of glucose in the blood. [10m]
3.
Photosynthesis is performed by autotrophs

(a) Define photosynthesis. [2m]

a. Photosynthesis is a process whereby the plant synthesises organic substances…
b. From carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll

(b) Explain how the leaf is adapted for an optimal process of photosynthesis. [10m]

Adaptation Explanation
Lamina of leaf
- Broad, flat, thin - This increases the surface area for maximum
absorption of sunlight and carbon dioxide.
- It allows light to penetrate easily and carbon
dioxide to diffuse rapidly through the thin leaf.
Position of leaf
- Positioned at a right angle to the rays of For maximum absorption of sunlight
sunlight
Arrangement of leaf
- In a mosaic pattern So that they wont overlap. This ensures maximum
absorption of sunlight.
Palisade mesophyll cells
- Contain many chloroplasts and are closely The chlorophyll in the chloroplast absorbs sunlight
packed for photosynthesis
Spongy mesophyll cells
- Loosely arranged with large air spaces The large air spaces facilitate diffusion of carbon
between the cells and contain chloroplast dioxide and oxygen
Stoma
- The leave has many stoma To allow the exchange of gases between the cells
in the leaf and the atmosphere.
Vascular tissue
- Contain many xylem tissues and phloem To transport water, minerals and products of
tissues photosynthesis efficiently and quickly.

MAX: 10m
(c) Photosynthesis occurs through a series of chemical reactions. Explain how photosynthesis occur in green
plants. [8m]

In light reaction during photosynthesis, the chlorophyll absorbs energy from the sunlight… 1
To break down the water molecules into hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxyl ions (OH-) 1

Hydroxyl ions release electrons to become hydroxyl groups 1

A few hydroxyl groups combine to form water and oxygen, which are released into the 1
atmosphere

Hydrogen ions accepts the electron and becomes hydrogen atom 1

The process in which the water molecule is broken down to hydrogen and oxygen is known as 1
photolysis
Hydrogen atom from the water photolysis reaction is used in the reduction of carbon dioxide 1
To form the basic unit of glucose (CH2O) 1
Six units of CH2O combine to form one glucose molecule 1

The glucose formed is changed into starch, fats and protein. 1

Max 8m