Question

Why small intestine is called small infact it is the longest part of alimentary canal?

Answer 1

Once food is mixed with saliva, it is passed down through the pharynx and esophagus to the stomach where it is broken down further. Even though the food has now been in your digestive system for a few hours and has gone through a fair amount of processing, only a small portion of total digestion has taken place and even less absorption of nutrients. This fact is about to change as we take a look at the anatomy and functions of the small intestines.

The first and middle sections of the small intestine

The small intestine is the section of your digestive tract where the majority of food digestion and nutrient absorption takes place. To understand how digestion and absorption take place in the small intestine, it is important to first understand the structure or anatomy of the organ. Your small intestine follows a twisty path and takes up much of the space within your abdomen. You can see from this picture that it appears to be framed by the large intestine. It is by far the longest section of your alimentary canal, measuring approximately twenty feet, and it is divided into three sections.