CAIE IGCSE Biology 7.3 Physical Digestion
Practise explaining how teeth, stomach churning and bile break food into smaller pieces or droplets without chemical change.
- Syllabus
- 2026–2028
- Course
- Biology 0610
Exam points
- define physical digestion as size reduction without changing the chemical nature of food molecules
- link chewing, churning and fat emulsification to increased surface area for digestive enzymes
- identify tooth types and structures and explain their roles in cutting, tearing, crushing or grinding
Covered syllabus points
7.3 Physical digestion question 1
Question (a)
(a)
Fig. 1.1 shows part of the human digestive system.
Fig. 1.1
[ 4 ]
Question (i)
(i)
Describe physical digestion.
[ 2 ]
Question (ii)
(ii)
State the names of two places where physical digestion occurs in the body.
1
2
[ 2 ]
Question (b)
(b)
Bile is involved in fat digestion.
[ 4 ]
Question (i)
(i)
Complete the sentences about fat digestion.
Bile is released into the in the digestive system. Bile increases the surface area of fats and oils. This is called This increase in surface area increases the rate of digestion using the enzyme .
[ 4 ]
7.3 Physical digestion question 2
Why does chewing food speed up digestion?
A
Bacteria in the food are killed.
B
Food is mixed with protease.
C
The surface area of the food is increased.
D
The taste of food is improved.
7.3 Physical digestion question 3
Fig. 6.1 is a flow diagram that shows what happens at the start of a bacterial infection.
Fig. 6.1
Question (a)
(a)
Identify the type of teeth in Fig. 6.3.
[ 1 ]
Question (b)
(b)
Explain how bacteria dissolve enamel to cause tooth decay.
[ 2 ]
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