Difference between small intestine and large intestine
Small intestine vs large intestine:
The human intestines play an essential role in the digestive process which occurs within our bodies on a daily basis. The intestines are a part of the digestive tract which comprises of the pharynx, mouth, stomach, esophagus as well as the small intestine, large intestine and the rectum. The human system requires various nutrients to support its many functions and it is this process performed by the digestive system that serves as the most essential step in the process of deriving the nutrients of the food that is consumed by humans. The intestine is thus divided in to two parts named as the small intestine and the large intestine.
Some facts about the small intestine
The small intestine, also known as the small bowel, is an elongated tube that forms the first part of the gastrointestinal tract that aids in the passage of food that comes from the stomach. This is where most of the digestion process and the absorption of food occur. The average length of a human male small intestine is 22 feet 6 inches while the average length of the small intestine of a female is known to be 23 feet 4 inches long. It is further divided in to three parts such as the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum each of which are responsible for absorbing different nutrients obtained from food at different levels.
What is the large intestine?
The large intestine makes up the last part of the digestive tract, responsible for absorbing the water that is contained in the indigestible food items which accumulate in the body, then passing it out of the system as waste matter. It comprises of four main parts named as colon, cecum, canal and rectum, each of which have different roles to play in the complex process of digestion. The large intestine is about 4.9 feet long and it makes up about one-fifth of the whole length of the intestinal canal. Food is no longer broken down in the large intestine and instead, it helps the digestion of iron and salts while the colon helps absorb the vitamins B and K that is created by the colonic bacteria.
What is the difference between large intestine and the small intestine?
The large intestine and the small intestine are both parts of the digestive tract and yet, they are responsible for completely different functions that occur within the body. The small intestine is where the food is broken down and it is with the aid of the small intestine that a large part of the nutrients are being absorbed in to the body. The leftover food that is considered as indigestible are then moved on to the large intestine where water and other nutrients that remain in the matter are absorbed. And then, the remaining matter is converted in to waste matter which is then pushed out through the rectum in the form of tool.
The large intestine is wider than the small intestine whereas the small intestine tends to be much longer than the large intestine. Differences ensue as to where they are situated in the body as well. While the small intestine is found between the stomach and the large intestine, the large intestine forms the last part of the digestive system that ends in the rectum. Differences become once again blatantly visible when it comes to what nutrients each intestine absorb as well. The small intestine is responsible for absorbing carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals and vitamins while the large intestine is responsible for absorbing water, nutrients and salts. Therefore, one can say that while the small intestine is where the absorption process begins, the large intestine completes the process, thus giving it the necessary final touches.
The small intestine is divided in to three parts according to the sort of nutrients that each one absorbs whereas the large intestine is divided in to four parts which is more of less based upon their functions. Furthermore, while the small intestine has finger-like projections which are called villi, such projections are absent in large intestine.
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Tags: abdomen, bowels, digestive organs, gut, guts, innards, insides, intestines, paunch, pelvis, solarplexus, spare tire, tummy, venter, viscera, vitals
