Small and Large Intestine
Both the small intestine and large intestine are a part of the alimentary canal or esophageal tract in the human body. They predominantly perform functions of assimilation and ingestion of food and other supplements. In general, the alimentary canal comprises these parts: mouth, pharynx, throat, stomach, small digestive system, large intestine, and the rectum, which is the outer opening of the anus.
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Small intestine vs large intestine
What is The Small Intestine?
The small intestine is the longest piece of the nutritious trench, which contains a few different tubes like throat, pharynx, and large intestine. The name authored 'little' for this tube-like structure is a result of its width, which is around 3.5 to 4.5 cm. This tube has a length of around, 4.5 to 7m, the food going through the stomach goes through this small intestine with the end goal of far-reaching absorption. In the event that it is about assimilation and ingestion of food, which is the primary capacity of both the small and large intestines are related to, at that point, the small digestive tract has more to do like 90% of the entire processing and retention of food happens here. The remaining 10% happens in the large intestine and stomach. The food particles in the wake of going through the small intestine at that point enter the large intestine. As the small intestine is wound in the midsection, it has two kinds of ingrowths; roundabout folds and villi, which paces down the movement of food due to which the food stays for a longer period of time in the small intestine when contrasted with the large intestine. The small intestine fundamentally includes three sections; duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
What is Large Intestine?
The large intestine is the last piece of the alimentary canal in the human body, which begins from the mouth and finishes through the anus. The most essential function related with the large intestine is the assimilation and retention of food as it is connected with the small intestine, but the significant function it needs to perform is the ingestion of water from the reaming inedible food and the creation of nutrient B and nutrient K from the microorganisms living in there. The Large digestive tract is the last stop, which comes after the food goes through the small digestive tract. The name 'enormous' for this digestive tract is a result of its broadness; it has a distance across from around 4 to 6 cm. Then again, it is very short when contrasted with the small digestive system; it gauges around 1.5m. In contrast to the small digestive tract, villi and roundabout folds are missing in it. The large intestine essentially includes these parts: cecum, colon, rectum, and butt-centric waterway. The rectum is the last stop before the waste material or excrement is killed from the human body through the butt-centric waterway.
Key Points:
The small digestive system is the longest piece of the nutritious channel, which has a length of around 4.5 to 7m and a width of around 3.5 to 4.5 cm. Then again, Large Intestine is the last piece of the Alimentary canal, which has a length of around 1.5m and a width of around 4 to 6cm.
90% of the entire processing and retention of food occurs in the small digestive tract, while the significant capacities large intestine needs to perform are the assimilation of water from the reaming inedible food and the creation of nutrient B and nutrient K from the microbes living in there.
The small digestive system for the most part contains three sections; duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, while the large intestine basically involves these parts: cecum, colon, rectum, and anus.
Villi and round folds are available in the small digestive tract while they are missing in the large intestine.
Difference between Small and Large Intestine
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FAQs on Difference Between Small Intestine and Large Intestine
1. What is the primary difference in function between the small and large intestine?
The main functional difference is that the small intestine serves as the primary site for the chemical digestion and absorption of nutrients from food. In contrast, the large intestine is mainly responsible for absorbing water and electrolytes from the remaining indigestible food matter and forming solid waste for elimination.
2. How do the small and large intestines differ in their physical structure or anatomy?
The key anatomical differences between the small and large intestines relate to their dimensions and internal lining:
- Length and Diameter: The small intestine is significantly longer (around 6-7 metres) but has a smaller diameter. The large intestine is much shorter (around 1.5 metres) but is wider in diameter.
- Internal Surface: The small intestine's inner wall is covered in folds and finger-like projections called villi and microvilli, which vastly increase its surface area for absorption. The large intestine lacks villi, giving it a smoother internal surface.
- Muscular Bands: The large intestine has three distinct bands of longitudinal muscle called taeniae coli, which are absent in the small intestine.
3. What are villi and what is their main function?
Villi are microscopic, finger-like projections that line the inner surface of the small intestine. Their essential function is to dramatically increase the surface area of the intestinal wall, which maximises the efficiency of nutrient absorption into the bloodstream after digestion.
4. What anatomical structure connects the small intestine to the large intestine?
The ileocecal valve is a sphincter muscle that connects the final section of the small intestine (the ileum) to the first part of the large intestine (the cecum). Its role is to regulate the one-way flow of digested material and prevent the contents of the large intestine from flowing back into the small intestine.
5. Why is the small intestine so long compared to the large intestine?
The extensive length of the small intestine is a direct adaptation to its primary role in nutrient absorption. This length ensures that chyme (partially digested food) has a long transit time, providing maximum opportunity for enzymes to complete the digestive process and for the vast surface area of the villi to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients into the body.
6. If most nutrient absorption happens in the small intestine, what makes the large intestine essential?
While it plays a minor role in nutrient absorption, the large intestine is essential for maintaining the body's balance and completing the digestive process. Its critical functions include reabsorbing water to prevent dehydration, housing beneficial gut bacteria that produce essential vitamins like Vitamin K, and compacting waste into faeces for controlled elimination.
7. Why do herbivores like cows have a much longer small intestine than carnivores like lions?
Herbivores have a significantly longer small intestine because their diet of plant matter is rich in complex carbohydrates like cellulose, which is very difficult to break down. The longer intestinal tract provides the necessary time and surface area for microbial and enzymatic digestion to extract nutrients effectively. In contrast, meat is more easily digested, so carnivores can process their food efficiently with a shorter digestive system.
8. What is the importance of the bacteria living in the large intestine?
The bacteria in the large intestine, known as the gut microbiota, perform several vital functions. They help by:
- Fermenting indigestible fibres to produce short-chain fatty acids, which nourish the cells of the colon.
- Synthesising essential nutrients, particularly Vitamin K (for blood clotting) and some B vitamins.
- Preventing the growth of harmful, pathogenic bacteria by competing for resources and space.
