Small Intestines
The smaller intestines are about 7 meters (22 feet) long. The smaller intestine is coiled in the center of the abdomen and is divided into 3 different sections, the duodenum, the ileum and the jejunum. The small intestine is very long and narrow. The first part of the small intestine is the duodenum which is a short section leading from the stomach to the ileum, the second part of the small intestine. The jejunum is the last portion of the small intestine. It leads into the first part of the large intestine. The small intestine is especially suited for the purpose of digestion and absorption. The mucous is folded into folds that are covered with villi. There are 8 important sections all together in the small and large intestines.
Large Intestines
The larger intestine is 1.5 meters (5 feet) long and is almost straight at the terminal portion. The large intestine has 3 sections, the cecum, the colon and the rectum. The first section is the cecum, where the small intestine joins the large intestine. The colon is the next part of the large intestine and absorbs water, minerals, and salt. The appendix is a fingered sizd projection at the begining of the colon. The ileoceal valve is between the cecum and the colon. The mucous is a slippery watery material. It is found in the large intestine. Finally the rectum is the last part of the large intestines. It's a short length of the gut in which feces are temporarily stored before discharged through the anus. The anus is another part which allows the feces to pass through.
Disease/Disorder
If
the intestines do not
work properly from absorbing nutrients and water, you will start to get
sick by having diarrhea and constipation. If a person eats too little
or too much food, you will get sick. Sometimes people eat bad food
and that makes your intestines stop working. Then some people
start to vomit and your stomach starts to ache.
References
1. "Body Works." Vers.
4.0. Softkey International, Inc., 1993.
2. "Intestine." 1996
Grolier Multimedia Encylopedia. Vers. 8.1. Grolier Inc., 1995.
3. Parker, Steve.
"The Digestive System." New York: Franklin Watts Inc., 1990.
4. "Intestines."
Microsoft Encarta '95. 1995
Edition. Microsoft Corp., 1992-1994.
5. "Intestines." The
World Book Encyclopedia Vol. 10, 1997, pp. 352-353
.