Question

Gastric enzyme pepsin acts only in an acidic medium within a limited pH concentration. pH range is
(a) 1.2 to 1.8
(b) 1 to 1.5
(c) 2 to 3.5
(d) 1.5 to 2.5

Answer 1

Hint: pH is a measure used in chemistry to specify the acidity or fundamentality of an aqueous solution. Acidic solutions are calculated to have lower pH values than simple or alkaline solutions (solutions with higher concentrations of H+ ions) .

Complete answer:
Pepsin is the most potent food channel endopeptidase enzyme, which is present in gastric juice as an inactive zymogen type. Gastric juice contains hydrochloric acid, which helps to preserve the pH of pepsin in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 (very acidic). Hydrochloric acid's primary function is to transform inactive enzymes (zymogens) into active enzymes. In smaller molecules, peptones, proteoses, and peptides, Pepsin breaks proteins.
The stomach fluid has a typical volume of 20 to 100 mL and the pH is acidic (1.5 to 3.5). In certain cases, these figures are translated to the real output of acid in units of milliequivalents per hour (mEq/hr).

Additional information: The principal gastric enzyme is Pepsin. It is produced in its inactive form, pepsinogen, which is a zymogen, by stomach cells called "chief cells." Pepsinogen is then activated in its active form, pepsin, by stomach acid. Pepsin breaks down the food's protein into smaller pieces, such as fragments of peptides and amino acids. Therefore, protein digestion begins primarily in the stomach, unlike carbohydrates and lipids that begin digestion in the mouth.
So, the correct answer is ‘(d) 1.5 to 2.5’.

Note: In breaking down the food you ingest, digestive enzymes play a key role. These proteins accelerate chemical reactions that transform nutrients into substances that can be absorbed by your digestive tract. Your saliva contains digestive enzymes. They are also released by some of your organs, including your pancreas, gallbladder, and liver.