Which sequence correctly lists the order in which the GI organs process and absorb nutrients from a meal?

Which sequence correctly lists the order in which the GI organs process and absorb nutrients from a meal?

• A. Mouth: stomach: esophagus: small intestine: large intestine
• B. Mouth: esophagus: stomach: large intestine: small intestine
• C. Mouth: esophagus: stomach: small intestine: large intestine
• D. Esophagus: mouth: stomach: small intestine: large intestine

Answer: (C)

When you eat, digestion follows a precise path from entry to elimination, moving from the mouth to the esophagus, then the stomach, followed by the small intestine for most absorption, and finally the large intestine for water reabsorption and waste formation. The sequence that matches this flow is mouth → esophagus → stomach → small intestine → large intestine. In the mouth, chewing and saliva begin breaking down food. The esophagus pushes the chewed food down to the stomach through peristaltic waves. In the stomach, acid and enzymes start digestion and turn the food into a semi-liquid called chyme. The small intestine is where most digestion completes and nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, with assistance from pancreatic enzymes and bile. Finally, the large intestine absorbs water and electrolytes and forms solid waste. Other sequences place the large intestine before the small intestine or swap the order of mouth and esophagus, which doesn’t reflect how nutrients are actually processed and absorbed.

When you eat, digestion follows a precise path from entry to elimination, moving from the mouth to the esophagus, then the stomach, followed by the small intestine for most absorption, and finally the large intestine for water reabsorption and waste formation. The sequence that matches this flow is mouth → esophagus → stomach → small intestine → large intestine. In the mouth, chewing and saliva begin breaking down food. The esophagus pushes the chewed food down to the stomach through peristaltic waves. In the stomach, acid and enzymes start digestion and turn the food into a semi-liquid called chyme. The small intestine is where most digestion completes and nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, with assistance from pancreatic enzymes and bile. Finally, the large intestine absorbs water and electrolytes and forms solid waste. Other sequences place the large intestine before the small intestine or swap the order of mouth and esophagus, which doesn’t reflect how nutrients are actually processed and absorbed.