| The main purpose of the intestines it to take the
partially digested food and convert it into energy. The
small intestine is about 20 feet long. the small
intestine is divided into three sections, the duodenum,
the jejunum and ileum. the small intestinal glands
secrete intestinal juices that helps with the digestive
process. The liver dumps bile into the small intestine
through the bile duct. the pancreas secretes pancreatic
enzymes into the small intestine. Bile and pancreatic
enzymes break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates. This
partially digested mixture empties into the large
intestine through an opening the ileocecal valve. The
large intestine is about 1.5 m long. The large intestine
is divided into six parts. They are the cecum, ascending
colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon,
and the rectum. The large intestines main purpose is to
further digest the food, releasing nutrients into the
blood and to absorb fluids. |
