Download What does HCL do in your stomach?

Digestion- The Stomach
By Anna, Daniel, Jane and Shylah
10i
Biology
Importance of pH in the
stomach.
Kills harmful bacteria and parasites ingested
with the food.
•
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Activates an enzyme called pepsin needed for
protein digestion.
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It helps absorb Vitamin B12 which is used in
the normal functioning of the brain and
nervous system, and in the formation of
blood.
It reduces the food clumps into smaller
particles, so that the intestines can absorb
nutrients quickly and effectively.
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How is pH maintained in the stomach.

Gastric juice in the stomach keeps a pH level anywhere between 1 and 3.
The pH scale is a way of determining how acidic a substance is. The larger
the pH level, the less acidic a substance is.
HCL (Hydrochloric acid)

What is HCL?

HLC (Hydrochloric acid) is a colour-less, highly
pungent solution naturally found in gastric acid

What does HCL do in your stomach?

HCL helps with digestion in your stomach

HCL kills bacteria that enters your stomach

HCL also breaks down proteins in your stomach
to prepare them for digestion

HCL converts the inactive enzyme pepsinogen
into the active enzyme pepsin. Pepsin is
responsible for digesting proteins in
your stomach
What are gastric juice?
Gastric juice is, thin, strongly acidic (pH varying
from 1 to 3), almost colorless liquid secreted by the
glands in the lining of the stomach.
Combined in the stomach,
gastric juice is made up of
water, electrolytes, mucus,
enzymes, hydrochloric acid
and intrinsic factor. Food in
the stomach is broken down
by the action of gastric juice
Function of Gastric juice
The gastric juice functions to break down food in the
stomach and kill bacteria (for chemical digestion)
Hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice makes food
soft and denatures many food proteins, helps to
convert inactive pepsinogen into active pepsin and
pro renin into renin, provides appropriate pH for
protein digestion.