Question

In what parts of the digestive system does mechanical and chemical digestion take place? How does the process occur?

Answer 1

Hint: Mechanical digestion is defined as the process in which the food is broken down mechanically into smaller chunks. When the food is chewed, mechanical digestion starts taking place in the mouth itself. Chemical digestion is defined as the basic process of breaking down food into simpler substances that the cells can use. This process involves the use of chemicals and enzymes in ideal conditions.

Complete answer:

In the Digestive tract, the mouth comes first in the list. This is where Mechanical digestion starts to take place. Teeth are used to crush and mash the food into small pieces that can easily be swallowed and digested. Saliva is an enzyme that starts to break carbohydrates, if they are present in the food. That is why the mouth also performs chemical Digestion as well as mechanical digestion. Once the food is ready to be swallowed, it is pushed into the Pharynx and then into the food pipe or esophagus. The esophagus is used to squeeze the food with rhythmic muscle contractions which is called Peristalsis.
Now, the food enters the stomach. Mostly chemical digestion takes place here. Mechanical Digestion is also done here as the stomach squeezes its contents but is very less as compared to chemical digestion. Enzymes are used to break down the food into nutrients, which are processed in the large intestine and the small intestine. The small intestine absorbs the nutrients and sends them to the main bloodstream of the body. It also does most of the Chemical Digestion, but no mechanical digestion takes place here. The food present here will now be called chyme, which is a soupy mixture. The large intestine sends waste to the rectum and anus, where the waste will finally leave the body.

Note:
Since the various types of foods like bread and vegetables are not in a shape that the body can use as nourishment, digestion is very much essential. Before food and drink are sent and consumed into the bloodstream and transported to the various cells in the body, they are broken down into smaller nutritional molecules.