1. Food passing into the small intestines isvery acidic from the hydrochloric acid released by the lining ofthe stomach and mixed in by churning. The pH of the stomachis about 2 whereas the pH of the small intestines is about 8. A buffer, bicarbonate, is released by the pancreas and used toconvert the pH 2 chyme solutions (food) to a pH 8. Explain the importance of the buffer to thecontinued digestion of your food.

2. Your enzymes have specificity. Withthis in mind, explain why you need no less than ten differentenzymes working on digestion in your small intestines.

3. In a eukaryotic cell there is one nucleusand several mitochondria. Both of these organelles aresurrounded by a membrane and contain DNA. With your knowledgeof a minimal cell, the cell theory and the endosymbiotichypothesis, explain whether or not they fit the criteria to beconsidered a cell and support your answer.

4. Your pancreas cells produce many digestiveenzymes necessary for the final digestive processes in your smallintestines, including pancreatic amylase to complete the digestionthe starches in your food. The pancreatic amylase is secreted fromthe cells of the pancreas and is carried to the small intestine inthe common bile duct. Describe the pancreas cell’s processesthat it must go through from production to secretion of this enzyme(amylase).