What amount of liquid chyme enters the colon daily?

The correct answer, which indicates that 1,500-3,000 mL of liquid chyme enters the colon daily, reflects the typical volume produced by the digestive process as food moves through the gastrointestinal tract.

When food is ingested, it undergoes digestion in the stomach and small intestine, where it is broken down and mixed with digestive juices. This process results in the formation of chyme, a semi-fluid mass. After passing through the small intestine, this chyme enters the cecum of the colon. On average, the body produces significant amounts of chyme due to dietary intake and the secretion of digestive fluids.

In typical processing, the small intestine absorbs a large quantity of water, but not all fluid is absorbed. The remaining liquid chyme that moves into the colon is a combination of undigested food particles, secretions, and the water that has not been reabsorbed. The colon's primary function includes further absorption of water and electrolytes, thus concentrating the remaining material for eventual elimination.

The volume range of 1,500-3,000 mL aligns with physiological studies and the functions of the gastrointestinal system, reflecting the total daily output of liquid chyme entering the colon after accounting for the absorption that