The human digestive system is a long, continuous tube called the alimentary canal. One of the most important transport sections of this tube is the Food Pipe, medically known as the Esophagus (or Oesophagus).
Medical Name: Esophagus / Oesophagus.
Function: Transports food from the mouth to the stomach.
Mechanism: Peristalsis (wave-like muscular contractions).
Safety Trap: The Epiglottis stops food from entering the windpipe.
The esophagus is a long, muscular tube (about 25 cm or 10 inches long in adults) that connects the throat (pharynx) to the stomach. It runs down through the neck and chest.
The food pipe doesn't just let food drop down by gravity (which is why you can swallow food even when lying down or hanging upside down!).
Instead, it transports chewed food (called a bolus) using powerful, wave-like muscular contractions.
Have you ever wondered why food doesn't go into your lungs? At the top of the food pipe is a small flap of tissue called the Epiglottis. When you swallow, the epiglottis automatically closes over the windpipe (trachea) so that food only goes down the food pipe.
The scientific name for the food pipe is the esophagus (or oesophagus).
Food moves down the food pipe through continuous, wave-like muscular contractions and relaxations called peristalsis.
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