Question

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

Short answer

Mechanical digestion, which physically (as opposed to chemically) breaks down the food into smaller components, is carried out by the stomach and the teeth. As a result, more surface area is exposed for chemical digestion and nutrient release.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction

Chewing is the first step of mechanical digestion, which subsequently progresses to churning in the stomach and segmentation in the small intestine. Another aspect of mechanical digestion is peristalsis.

The explanation for the answer

Mechanical digestion, which physically (as opposed to chemically) breaks down the food into smaller components, is carried out by the stomach and the teeth. As a result, more surface area is exposed for chemical digestion and nutrient release. The process of mastication, which reduces huge portions of food into manageable pieces, depends on the teeth. Food is stirred up in the stomach by muscle contractions to expose all particles to acid and digestive enzymes.