Why do we make solid and liquid waste? How does our body know which to make of what?
The solid waste is what didn't get absorbed in your intestines. The "liquid" waste is all the stuff that was absorbed and needs to be flushed out again or the waste products of using the absorbed stuff. And it's only liquid because water is used as a transport medium.
The Short Answer
The solid waste is what didn't get absorbed in your intestines. The "liquid" waste is all the stuff that was absorbed and needs to be flushed out again or the waste products of using the absorbed stuff. And it's only liquid because water is used as a transport medium. So imagine you have a bag of apples. And you only take out the things you really need in your body. The water, the sugars and vitamins. To get these out you mash the apples to a pulp and add some chemicals and then squeeze the bag. What comes out is what your body would absorb. What is left behind is what your body will poop out. Now you use the absorbed things as fuel. So imagine you take the sugars and burn them. After they have burned (reacted) there is slag that is left behind. And to get this slag out of your body again you dissolve it in water. That's what you pee out. (This is of course dumbed down quite a bit.)
Analysis
Key Concepts: Absorbed, body, waste
This explanation focuses on absorbed, body, waste and spans 174 words across 15 sentences. At 142% above the average Science explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “The solid waste is what didn't get absorbed in your intestines.” It then elaborates by explaining the root cause, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 15 connected points.
How This Compares in Science
Ranked #9 of 500 Science questions by answer depth (top 3%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why we make solid and liquid waste? how does our body know which to make of what?
The solid waste is what didn't get absorbed in your intestines. The "liquid" waste is all the stuff that was absorbed and needs to be flushed out again or the waste products of using the absorbed stuff. And it's only liquid because water is used as…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Science questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 174 words, ranked #9 of 500 Science questions by depth. The key concepts covered are absorbed, body, waste.
What approach does this answer take to explain we make solid and liquid waste? how does our body know which?
The explanation uses root cause analysis across 174 words. It is categorized under Science and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.