Structure fits function

Did you ever wonder what happens inside the digestive system or where your food goes after you swallow it. Part of the process of the food digesting is the small intestine. By the time the food gets to the small intestine it is broken down into almost a liquid. But what is the small intestine? That’s what I’m going to tell you today!

The small intestine is part of the  gastrointestinal tract. The small intestine in large because it needs to take your food and   your body needs to break down food into nutrients and absorb the nutrients. This is the part of digesting the food happens. The reason for the small intestine being so squished together is the small intestine is 15 to 30 feet long. The large intestine is on the outer part and it coils the small intestine. The small intestine helps absorb food but it does not store.  All of that helps the small intestine break down food easier. 

Here is step by step of the system

• The Small Intestine has a rough surface (villi) so the food will be absorbed by it into the body. It isn’t stored, but it is absorbed.
• It is 15-30 ft long, to make sure the maximum the amount of nutrients absorbed from the food.
• Because it is so long, the body coils it up on itself.
• So it doesn’t uncoil, the Small Intestine is surrounded by the Large Intestine.
• It also has a thick muscle layer surrounding it to increase the surface area.

All of that helps the Small Intestine do it’s function!