Final answer:
The large intestine is responsible for absorbing excess water and minerals from the digestive tract, converting liquid chyme into semisolid feces which are then stored in the rectum until eliminated.
Step-by-step explanation:
The organ that helps to form feces by absorbing excess water and some minerals from the digestive tract is the large intestine. In the process of absorption, the large intestine takes most of the remaining water from the digestive wastes, transforming the liquid chyme residue into semisolid feces or stool. The feces consist of undigested food residues, unabsorbed digested substances, bacteria, old epithelial cells from the GI mucosa, inorganic salts, and sufficient water to ensure its smooth passage from the body. The cecum, as the initial part of the large intestine, receives the semi-solid waste from the small intestine. Subsequently, as waste moves through the colon, the excess water is absorbed. Finally, the solid wastes, now called feces, accumulate in the rectum until they are compacted and ready to be eliminated from the body through the anus.