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Vitamins and Minerals 19. What are three minerals needed by the human body? Iron

ID: 694831 • Letter: V

Question

Vitamins and Minerals 19. What are three minerals needed by the human body? Iron, Sodium, Magnesium What food sources can we get them from and what purpose do they serve in the body Iron found in meat to build red blood cells, Sodium from salt for our nervous system, and Magnesium found in nuts for our bodies biochemical function. 20. Are these minerals found as pure elements or as ions in food sources? 21. What process was used to extract the calcium in the form of calcium phosphate from milk? What type of reaction occurred? Give a possible balanced chemical equation for the reaction. 22. How does the presence of acid in our stomachs when we drink milk affect our ability to absorb calcium ions in milk?

Explanation / Answer

19. Three minerals needed by the human body are:

a) Calcium - required for the building of strong bones and teeth. It also helps in the nerve transmission and the muscle function. A few sources of calcium are dairy products like milk and yogurt and vegetables like broccoli, kale and cabbage.

b) Potassium - controls the electrical activity of the heart and maintains its healthy rythm. It is also required by the body to build proteins and break down carbohydrates and maintain the pH balance of the blood. Food that contains potassium are beef, fish, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes.

c) Sodium - stimulates muscle and nerve function, maintains the correct balance of fluids in the cells and supports absorption of other nutrients like chloride aminoacids and glucose. The major intake of sodium occurs from salt.