Question

Adam's apple is a
(a) Large developed voice box in males
(b) Apple which is eaten by Adam
(c) Special class of apple
(d) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Even though the name is derived from the mythical story in the Bible, Adam's apple is related to a body organ of men, which is considered as a unique feature limited to males of homo sapiens.

Complete step by step answer:
Adam's apple is a large developed voice box in males. It is a feature of the male neck of a human, which is a lump or extension which is created by the angle of the cartilage of the thyroid which surrounds the larynx, commonly called the voice box. As a boy becomes an adult Adam’s apple increases in size and will be easily visible and palpable.
So, the correct answer is a ‘Large developed voice box in males’.

Additional information:
- Cartilage is a connective tissue which is strong but not as strong as a bines, but mildly soft and has better flexibility which makes up different areas of the human body.
- The size of Adam’s apple varies with hormonal variations, males with higher testosterone levels tend to have bigger Adam’s apples and males with low testosterone levels may have a smaller larynx.

- Changing the shape of Adam’s apple is possible by transplanting cartilage from other parts of the body, the same in the case of reducing the size by removing the excess cartilage.

Note:
- During puberty Adam’s apple develops and it is not seen in prepubescent children. This is the reason why boys develop voice changes during puberty and get deeper and high voices than women.
- Adam’s apple is present in both males and females but the bigger larynx males have prominent Adam’s apples.
- During puberty hormonal changes occur in males, due to which higher testosterone is produced which results in the growth of Adam’s apple during puberty.