Final answer:
A. Ascending The least formed stool is expected to be in the ascending colon, where the stool is still semi-solid before water absorption and compaction continue in the other segments of the large intestine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse would expect the least formed stool to be present in the ascending colon. As food waste enters the large intestine, it first arrives at the cecum. From there, it moves into the ascending colon, where it is still semi-solid as water is gradually absorbed. The stool becomes more formed as it travels through the transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon due to further water absorption and compaction.
The least formed stool would be expected in the ascending colon of the digestive tract. The large intestine is responsible for the absorption of water and electrolytes, but most of the solid waste has already been removed in the previous sections of the digestive tract. As stool moves through the ascending colon, more water is absorbed, resulting in less formed stool.