Rutgers Nutrition Practice Test 2026 - Free Nutrition Practice Questions and Study Guide

The final components of the digestive pathway before waste is expelled are the rectum and anus. The rectum serves as a temporary storage site for feces, while the anus is the opening through which waste is excreted from the body. Together, they function as the terminal part of the digestive system, facilitating the expulsion of solid waste after the digestion and absorption of nutrients have occurred in the earlier stages of the digestive process. This anatomical arrangement is crucial for maintaining the body's waste management system, ensuring that undigested material is efficiently eliminated.

The other choices include parts of the digestive system, but they do not represent the final components involved in the expulsion of waste. For instance, the small intestine and colon are involved in nutrient absorption and water reabsorption, while the stomach is primarily responsible for the initial breakdown of food. The esophagus and throat play a role in transporting food to the stomach, not in waste expulsion. Hence, the rectum and anus are indeed the last structures in the digestive pathway.