Pharynx, << FAR ihngks, >> is a cone-shaped tube that connects the nose and mouth with the voice box and esophagus (tube leading to the stomach). The pharynx is about 5 inches (13 centimeters) long and has muscular walls lined with mucous membrane. It serves as a passageway for both air and food. In addition, the pharynx plays an important role in speech, especially in the production of vowel sounds.
When a person breathes in, air enters the pharynx from the nose or mouth. The air then passes through the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe) into the lungs. This route is reversed when a person exhales.
Food enters the pharynx from the mouth. When a person swallows, a flap of cartilage called the epiglottis covers the opening of the larynx, and the vocal cords automatically clamp shut. These actions keep food from entering the trachea. Instead, it travels down the esophagus to the stomach.
