What does the oesophagus connect?

The oesophagus is a muscular tube that plays a crucial role in the digestive system. It connects the mouth to the stomach, serving as the passageway through which food travels after being swallowed. When a person eats, food is chewed in the mouth and mixed with saliva, forming a bolus. This bolus is then pushed to the back of the throat and into the oesophagus through the process of swallowing.

Once the bolus enters the oesophagus, a series of muscular contractions known as peristalsis helps move the food downward toward the stomach. The oesophagus has no digestive or absorptive function; its primary purpose is to transport food from the oral cavity to the stomach, where further digestion occurs.

In the context of the other choices, the oesophagus does not connect to the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) or to the colon (part of the large intestine), nor does it serve as a pathway between the duodenum and the stomach. Therefore, the connection from the mouth to the stomach accurately describes the primary function and structure of the oesophagus.