The stomach further digests food using gastric juices and muscular contractions. The anus is the external opening through which waste is expelled during defecation.

The mouth is where food is initially broken down through chewing and mixing with saliva. The small intestine is where nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.

large intestine — is approximately 5 ft (1.5 m) long and consists of the cecum and colon; this vital component of the gastrointestinal tract is responsible for bowel elimination. mouth — the orifice at the beginning of the gastrointestinal tract into which food is introduced into the gastrointestinal system; the mouth consists of the lips, tongue, hard and soft…. anus — opening at the end of the digestive tract through which feces (solid waste) are expelled from the body. peristalsis — rhythmic, wavelike contraction and relaxation of the intestinal muscles that serves to mix food with gastric juices and propel food, water, and digestive juices forward through….