Physical digestion
Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) · Unit 7: Human nutrition · 10 flashcards
Physical digestion is topic 7.3 in the Cambridge IGCSE Biology (0610) syllabus , positioned in Unit 7 — Human nutrition , alongside Diet, Digestive system and Chemical digestion. In one line: Physical digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without any chemical changes to the food molecules themselves. An example is chewing food in the mouth.
This topic is examined in Paper 1 (multiple-choice) and Papers 3/4 (theory), plus Paper 5 or Paper 6 (practical / alternative to practical).
The deck below contains 10 flashcards — 2 definitions, 6 key concepts and 2 identification cards — covering the precise wording mark schemes reward. Use the 2 definition cards to lock down command-word answers (define, state), then move on to the concept and application cards to handle explain, describe and compare questions.
Physical digestion
Physical digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without any chemical changes to the food molecules themselves. An example is chewing food in the mouth.
What the Cambridge 0610 syllabus says
2026-2028 syllabus, in our wordsWhat the syllabus expects you to be able to do in this topic, in plain English. Match the command word (Describe, Explain, State, etc.) in your answer to score full marks. For the exact wording, see the official syllabus (PDF).
- Describe Describe physical digestion: food is broken into smaller pieces while its molecules stay chemically unchanged.
- State State that physical digestion gives food a larger surface area for enzymes to act on during chemical digestion.
- Identify Identify each type of human tooth in diagrams and images: molars, premolars, canines and incisors.
- Describe Describe the structure of a human tooth, limited to cement, enamel, pulp, dentine, blood vessels and nerves, and understand that teeth sit embedded in the bone and gums.
- Describe Describe how each type of human tooth contributes to the physical digestion of food.
- Describe Describe the role the stomach plays in physical digestion.
- Outline Outline how bile emulsifies fats and oils so that chemical digestion has a larger surface area to work on. Supplement
What is physical digestion?
Physical digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without any chemical changes to the food molecules themselves. An example is chewing food in the mouth.
How does physical digestion aid chemical digestion?
Physical digestion increases the surface area of food particles. This larger surface area allows digestive enzymes to act more effectively during chemical digestion.
Name the four types of human teeth.
The four types of human teeth are incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Each type is adapted for a specific function in physical digestion.
List the main structures of a human tooth.
A human tooth consists of enamel, dentine, pulp (containing nerves and blood vessels), cement, and is embedded in the jaw bone and gums. Enamel is the hardest outermost layer protecting the tooth.
What is the function of incisors?
Incisors are chisel-shaped teeth located at the front of the mouth. Their primary function is for biting and cutting food into smaller pieces.
What is the function of canines?
Canines are cone-shaped teeth located next to the incisors. Their main function is tearing and gripping food.
What is the function of premolars and molars?
Premolars and molars are located at the back of the mouth and have broad, flat surfaces. They are used for grinding and crushing food into smaller particles, increasing the surface area for enzyme action.
What is the role of the stomach in physical digestion?
The stomach's muscular walls contract and relax to churn food, mixing it with gastric juices and breaking it down physically. This churning action helps to increase the surface area of the food.
What is emulsification, and why is it important?
Emulsification is the process of breaking down large fat globules into smaller droplets, increasing the surface area for lipase enzymes to act upon. Bile, produced by the liver, is essential for emulsifying fats in the small intestine.
Describe the role of bile in fat digestion.
Bile emulsifies fats and oils into smaller droplets. This increases the surface area of the fats, allowing for more efficient digestion by lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats.
Key Questions: Physical digestion
What is physical digestion?
Physical digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without any chemical changes to the food molecules themselves. An example is chewing food in the mouth.
What is emulsification, and why is it important?
Emulsification is the process of breaking down large fat globules into smaller droplets, increasing the surface area for lipase enzymes to act upon. Bile, produced by the liver, is essential for emulsifying fats in the small intestine.
More topics in Unit 7 — Human nutrition
Physical digestion sits alongside these Biology decks in the same syllabus unit. Each uses the same spaced-repetition system, so progress in one informs the next.
Key terms covered in this Physical digestion deck
Every term below is defined in the flashcards above. Use the list as a quick recall test before your exam — if you can't define one of these in your own words, flip back to that card.
Related Biology guides
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