What part of the digestive system follows the stomach?

The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine and follows the stomach in the digestive system. After the stomach digests food, it releases partially digested material called chyme into the duodenum. This is a crucial step in digestion, as the duodenum is responsible for the further breakdown of food using bile from the liver and pancreatic enzymes. It plays a vital role in the absorption of nutrients, preparing the digested material for the subsequent parts of the small intestine.

The other options represent different parts of the digestive system but do not directly follow the stomach. The large intestine is further down the digestive tract, handling waste elimination. The rectum is an endpoint for waste storage and elimination, far removed from where digestion transitions from the stomach. The esophagus is also not correct as it is the tube that connects the throat to the stomach, transporting food to the stomach rather than receiving it afterward. Thus, the duodenum is correctly recognized as following the stomach in the digestive process.