Final answer:
After intestinal contents enters the cecum, they advance to the colon for further digestion and water absorption, then accumulate in the rectum until expelled during defecation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Path of Intestinal Content after the Cecum
After being dumped into the cecum, the intestinal content moves into the colon, where it undergoes further digestion. The colon absorbs water and some vitamins and minerals, leaving the undigested parts of food and other waste materials, now forming feces or stool. These feces accumulate in the rectum, the last section of the colon. When the rectum is full, a defecation reflex is triggered, and feces are excreted through the anus.
The cecum is a key part of this process, acting as the entry to the large intestine from the small intestine. It is tasked with continuing the absorption of water and salts, and also hosts the appendix, which may have immunologic functions. After the intestinal content passes through the cecum, it enters the colon, where absorption and further digestion take place. The rectum then serves as storage until excretion.