Where does most of the absorption of nutrients occur?(1 point)
Responses
mouth
mouth
stomach
stomach
small intestine
small intestine
large intestine
large intestine
Most of the absorption of nutrients occurs in the small intestine.
The correct answer is small intestine.
To arrive at this answer, you can recall the process of digestion. After food is broken down in the mouth and stomach, the majority of nutrient absorption takes place in the small intestine. This is where specialized structures called villi and microvilli line the intestinal wall, increasing the surface area for nutrient absorption. The small intestine is responsible for absorbing nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals from the digested food.
While the mouth assists with the initial breakdown of food through chewing and the stomach helps to further break down food particles, the main site of nutrient absorption is the small intestine. The large intestine primarily functions in the absorption of water and electrolytes, but not significant nutrient absorption.