Assertion: The stomach secretes hydrochloric acid to break down proteins.
Reason: Proteins are too large to be absorbed in the small intestine.
Assertion and reason are both true, and reason is an accurate account of assertion.
Both assertion and reason are accurate, but reason does not adequately explain assertion.
The assertion is correct, but the reasoning is incorrect.
Both the assertion and reason are incorrect.
The assertion is true. The stomach secretes hydrochloric acid to break down proteins. The reason is also true. Proteins are too large to be absorbed in the small intestine.
Proteins are large molecules composed of amino acids, which are linked together by peptide bonds. The human body cannot absorb proteins in their intact form, so they must be broken down into smaller molecules, such as amino acids and peptides, to be absorbed in the small intestine.
The stomach secretes hydrochloric acid, which helps to denature proteins and activate enzymes, such as pepsin, that break down proteins into smaller peptides. This process is called protein digestion. Once proteins are broken down into smaller peptides, they can be further digested and absorbed in the small intestine.
Therefore, the stomach plays a crucial role in protein digestion by secreting hydrochloric acid to break down proteins into smaller peptides, which can be absorbed in the small intestine.
Option c is the correct answer.