Pancreatic juice is :

Options

A. Alkaline in nature
B. Acidic in nature
C. Neutral in nature
D. Both acidic and alkaline in nature

Answer

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Understanding Pancreatic Juice**: Pancreatic juice is a digestive fluid produced by the pancreas. It plays a crucial role in the digestion of food in the small intestine.

2. **Composition of Pancreatic Juice**: The juice is primarily composed of water, salts, sodium bicarbonate, and various digestive enzymes.

3. **Nature of Pancreatic Juice**: The presence of sodium bicarbonate is significant because it contributes to the alkalinity of the pancreatic juice.

4. **pH Level**: The pH of pancreatic juice ranges from 7.1 to 8.2, indicating that it is slightly alkaline.

5. **Function of Alkalinity**: The alkaline nature of pancreatic juice helps to neutralize the acidity of gastric chyme (partially digested food from the stomach) when it enters the small intestine.

6. **Conclusion**: Based on the information, pancreatic juice is classified as alkaline in nature.

7. **Final Answer**: Therefore, the correct answer is that pancreatic juice is alkaline in nature.

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