# Describe the role of physical digestion in the stomach and explain how this process benefits chemical digestion.

> Cambridge International IGCSE Biology (0610) — 7.3 Mechanical digestion · Describe · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. The muscular walls of the stomach contract to mix/churn/grind the food.
2. Physical digestion breaks food into smaller pieces, increasing its surface area.
3. A greater surface area allows enzymes to act on more of the food at once / increases the rate of enzyme action.
4. This speeds up / makes chemical digestion more efficient.

## Key terms

- [physical digestion](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/physical-digestion)
- [chemical digestion](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/chemical-digestion)

## Related

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/describe-the-role-of-physical-digestion-4274cefe) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.