What is the Difference Between Absorption and Assimilation?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between absorption and assimilation lies in the process of nutrient uptake and utilization in the body. Here are the key differences:
- Absorption: This is the process of taking in digested food molecules into the bloodstream and delivering them to their intended destinations. It occurs mostly in the small intestine, where the digested food molecules are absorbed into the blood vessels and transported to different parts of the body.
- Assimilation: This process involves the formation of new compounds from the absorbed nutrients, which are required for regular cell function or energy production. It occurs in the liver and involves the utilization of absorbed nutrients in the tissues for various activities like energy production, growth, and repair.
In summary, absorption is the process of transporting digested food molecules into the bloodstream, while assimilation is the process of utilizing these absorbed nutrients in the tissues for various bodily functions.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Absorption and Assimilation? Comparative Table: Absorption vs Assimilation
Comparative Table: Absorption vs Assimilation
The difference between absorption and assimilation can be understood through the following table:
| Feature | Absorption | Assimilation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The process of taking simple molecules created as a result of digestion from the small intestine into the bloodstream. | The process of forming new compounds from absorbed molecules, which are required for regular cell function or energy production. |
| Occurrence | Absorption occurs mainly in the small intestine. | Assimilation occurs mainly in the liver. |
| Role | Absorption is the process of moving food into the cells after breaking down the food which is digested. | Assimilation is the process by which the absorbed nutrients from food are utilized to get energy, for growth and repair, after getting transported through blood or lymph. |
| Nutrient Transport | During absorption, nutrients are added to the bloodstream. | During assimilation, molecules are taken out of the bloodstream by different cells. |
In summary, absorption is the process of taking simple molecules created as a result of digestion into the bloodstream, while assimilation is the process of forming new compounds from absorbed molecules for regular cell function or energy production.
Read more:
- Absorption vs Adsorption
- Integration vs Assimilation
- Absorptance vs Absorbance
- Digestion vs Absorption
- Acculturation vs Assimilation
- Assimilation vs Accommodation
- Cultural Diffusion vs Cultural Assimilation
- Excitation vs Absorption
- Absorbance vs Transmittance
- Absorptivity vs Molar Absorptivity
- Sugar Assimilation vs Fermentation
- Absorption Spectrum vs Emission Spectrum
- Emission vs Absorption Spectra
- Action Spectrum vs Absorption Spectrum
- Absorption vs Stripping
- Molar Absorptivity vs Specific Absorbance
- Absorptive vs Postabsorptive State
- Filtration vs Reabsorption
- Absorbance vs Fluorescence