What role does the bile play in digestion?

Answer 1

Function of Bile juice

Bile juice helps in emulsificaton of fats.

How Bile emulsifies fats

Bile is alkaline solution. Its molecules have dual nature (one end is attracted to water molecule while other is attracted to aft molecule). Thus its molecules remain in between water molecules and fat molecules (emulsification process).

If bile molecules were not present between fats and water, the fat molecules would be repelled by water molecules and be attracted to each other. The fat molecules would merge together because fats are insoluble in water. The merged fats would not be easily broken down with lipase (fat digesting enzyme).

So bile attractes the fat molecules and separate them from each other. It makes the fat digestion easier.

Answer 2

Bile acts on lipids, by emulsifying them to increase their surface area. The bile also neutralises the chyme, which provides an ideal pH for lipases to work.

Answer 3

bile salts

Answer 4

fat

Answer 5

Bile salt