In the digestive system, what is chyme?

• A. A bile pigment produced by the liver that gives feces its brown color
• B. An enzyme secreted by the pancreas that breaks down triglycerides in the small intestine
• C. A hormone released by the stomach that stimulates acid secretion and gastric motility
• D. A semifluid mixture of partially digested food and gastric secretions produced in the stomach and delivered to the small intestine

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the context of the digestive system and the role of different substances involved in digestion, such as bile pigments, enzymes, hormones, and digestive mixtures.
2. Step 2: Identify what chyme is by recalling that it is not a pigment, enzyme, or hormone, but rather a physical mixture formed during digestion.
3. Step 3: Recognize that chyme is the semifluid mixture created in the stomach when food is combined with gastric secretions, including acid and enzymes, to begin the digestion process.
4. Step 4: Note that chyme is then delivered from the stomach into the small intestine, where further digestion and nutrient absorption occur.
5. Step 5: Conclude that chyme is best described as the semifluid mixture of partially digested food and gastric secretions produced in the stomach and passed to the small intestine.