Ask your chemistry teacher to give you a strip of pH paper with a colour chart. (see the fig.4)
You can do this in your school by taking a small piece of the pH paper and touching it to your tongue. Match the colour with the colour chart and note the pH first. See to it that you are able to take some readings after having your food at lunch break. Compare your readings with that of your friend. Take at least 4 readings. You have to prepare your own table to record your observations.
What is the usual range of pH of your mouth? Acidic or basic?
Did you observe any change in pH after eating? What may have caused the change?
In what kind of pH do you think salivary amylase acts well?
Does the type of food have any role to play on the pH of our mouth?
Test with different types of food as you eat them and check just after you have swallowed them.
Do not hurry to complete the table. Take your own time.
(pH beyond 7 is alkaline, pH- below 7 is acidic, pH 7 is neutral).Based on the above tests we know that the saliva secreted causes the medium to change to alkaline as it aids in action of enzyme, salivary amylase
What are the different systems that contribute to the proper functioning of digestion in the mouth?
After the digestive process in the mouth where does the food move to?
pg.no.152