What is the stomachs main function?

Answer 1

Functions Of The Stomach

Although it is a very complex organ which performs a wide variety of digestive actions, the stomach has 3 main functions:

• It stores the food bolus we swallow. This allows us to eat a large number of food calories in a relatively short time and then digest it over a longer period. Without the stomach's storage capacity, we would need to eat very small amounts of food continuously throughout the day, because the small intestine digests food very slowly. Gastric bypass induces weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach, so that less food (and thus fewer calories) can be eaten. See Bariatric Surgery Guide.
• It breaks down large fat and protein molecules in food, so they can be absorbed in the small intestine. To do this, the stomach releases a number of powerful gastric juicescontaining hydrochloric acid and other digestive enzymes. In addition to breaking down food, these acidic juices (PH 1-3) also kill bacteria in the food. For easier digestion, powerful muscles in the stomach wall churn the food into a paste of porridge-like consistency, called chyme. This churning action also ensures that the secreted gastric acids and enzymes are thoroughly mixed with the food.
• It empties the partially digested chyme into the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine) at a manageable speed, through the the pyloric sphincter. While the intestine is full and still digesting food, the stomach acts as storage area for food.

The absorption of food and water by the stomach is negligible, but iron and highly fat-soluble substances like alcohol are absorbed directly. Finger-like folds called villi give the stomach a huge surface both to absorb food and secrete digestive juices.

Special cells secrete a protective coating called mucus, on the stomach walls to prevent damage from gastric acids. Originally it was thought that peptic ulcers were caused by an erosion of this mucus lining by these acids. However recent research indicates that these ulcers are caused largely by the spread of a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori bacterium into the gastric walls.

Food typically takes 4-5 hours to pass through the stomach into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.

Answer 2

The functions of a stomach is to hold, digest, process and release food for digestion as it empties into the small intestine.

Answer 3

To send the food to different parts of the body Yxb98

Answer 4

The main role of the stomach is to contract the bolus that went down the esophagus. The stomach then turn the bolus into a soapy liquid. It is then moved on to the small intestine

Answer 5

to digest food

Answer 6

Fool!