Small Intestine vs. Large Intestine: Structure, Function & Anatomy

The human digestive system is made of two main parts: the small bowel and the large bowel.

Small bowel

- The small bowel is made of three sections: the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

- It is about 20 feet long and is located in the upper left and central sections of the abdomen.

- The small bowel digests food and absorbs nutrients.

- The small bowel moves food through peristalsis, which are muscle contractions that push food down the bowel.

Large bowel

- The large bowel is made of the cecum, colon, and rectum.

- It is about 6 feet long and is located in the lower right section of the abdomen.

- The large bowel absorbs water and electrolytes from food and stores waste before it is eliminated from the body.

- The large bowel moves food through by peristalsis and also by mass movements, which occur about three times a day.

The large bowel is larger in diameter than the small bowel, which allows it to store more waste. The large bowel also has a slower transit time than the small bowel, which allows more time for water and electrolytes to be absorbed.