Defining Digestion and Assimilation in Biology

Steps:

• Identify digestion as the chemical and mechanical breakdown of large, insoluble food molecules into small, soluble ones for absorption (matches definition 2).
• Identify assimilation as the process where cells absorb and utilize these soluble molecules for growth, energy, and repair (matches definition 3).
• Eliminate definition 1, which describes ingestion (intake through the mouth).
• Eliminate definition 4, which describes absorption (movement into blood and lymph).

Why B is correct:

• B pairs digestion with definition 2 and assimilation with definition 3, aligning with standard biological definitions where digestion prepares nutrients and assimilation incorporates them into cells.

Why the others are wrong:

• A incorrectly assigns digestion to ingestion (definition 1).
• C incorrectly assigns digestion to ingestion (definition 1).
• D incorrectly assigns assimilation to absorption (definition 4).

Final answer: B