Larynx

The organ in the throat responsible for voice production, commonly called the voice-box. The larynx lies between the pharynx and the trachea. It consists of areas of cartilage, the largest of which is the thyroid cartilage that projects to form the Adam’s apple. Below it are the cricoid cartilage and the 2 pyramid-shaped arytenoid cartilages. Inside the larynx are 2 fibrous sheets of tissue, the vocal cords, which vibrate to produce vocal sounds when air from the lungs passes through them. These vibrations are modified by the tongue, mouth, and lips to produce speech. Attached to the top of the thyroid cartilage is the epiglottis, a leaf-shaped flap of cartilage that drops over the larynx to prevent food from entering the trachea when swallowing.