Question

What is optimum temperature and pH for salivary amylase action?

Answer 1

Hint: The digestion of food starts in the mouth itself by the salivary glands. Salivary glands present in the mouth secretes saliva which contains salivary amylase enzyme which helps in breaking down starch present in the food into simpler sugar. This salivary amylase shows its maximum activity at optimum temperature and pH value which we will see in the solution.

Complete answer:
Enzymes are the biological catalysts which help all the biological chemical reactions taking place inside the body.
We know that, digestion process is a long and complex process which includes many organs of the body. The digestion of food starts in the mouth itself by the salivary glands. Salivary glands help in the digestion of food. It secretes the saliva which contains salivary amylase enzymes which helps in breaking down starch present in the food into simpler sugar.
All the enzymes have optimum temperature and pH values at which it shows its maximum activity or which is necessary for the action of the enzyme.
For salivary amylase action, the optimum temperature and pH are ${32^o}C - {37^o}C$ (human body temperature) and $6 - 7pH$ respectively. Salivary amylase is most active at $6.8pH$ .

Note:
The effect of the optimum temperature and pH range on the salivary amylase action can be studied using the iodine test. In this test, we add saliva to the starch solution, the salivary amylase present in saliva transforms starch into maltose. The starch shows the blue colour because of the presence of iodine in it till it is fully digested and we see that it is fully digested at optimum conditions.