Final answer:
The passage of nutrients from the ileum into the capillaries is known as absorption. It involves the transfer of digested nutrients through the epithelial cells lining the villi into the blood, with the jejunum being the primary site for absorbing carbohydrates and proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process by which products of digestion pass from the ileum into the capillaries is called absorption. During absorption, digested nutrients are transferred from the lumen of the small intestine through the epithelial cells lining the villi into the bloodstream. Absorbed nutrients in the blood are then carried to the liver via the hepatic portal vein. The small intestine's villi and microvilli greatly increase the surface area, boosting absorption efficiency. While most carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed in the jejunum, bile salts and vitamin B12 are notably absorbed in the terminal ileum.
The jejunum is rich in villi with capillaries, where nutrients pass into the bloodstream. The large surface area provided by the villi makes the inner surface of the small intestine extensive, as large as a tennis court, facilitating maximum nutrient absorption.