One of the biggest takeaways I have from this unit is I never knew how other systems can connect to each other. I found that very interesting. My group worked on the digestive system. It was very fun teaching and learning about it. It was also fun learning about other systems
Category: Bobrowski
Structure fits function
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!


