Question

What moves the food in the digestive organs? What is the other name for the food pipe?

Answer 1

Hint:A muscular tube passes through the trachea to the stomach and helps in the swallowing and transportation of the food materials.


Complete answer:
The oesophagus or esophagus is an organ in vertebrates with the help of which food moves in the digestive organs through the process of peristalsis. The term esophagus is an American English term, while oesophagus is derived from British English. The esophagus is also known as food pipe or gullet and sometimes gastrointestinal tract.
The esophagus connects the throat above and the stomach below to push the food. It is found to be around 8 inches long and is surrounded by a covering called the mucosa. Between the esophagus and the stomach, a valve is present in between called epiglottis. The epiglottis closes the passage of food to prevent it from going down the larynx and lungs. The layer surrounding it got relaxed, and food was allowed to pass.
The food is pushed down by the peristaltic contractions of the esophageal muscle; this relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter. The stomach produces various gastric juices and enzymes consisting of hydrochloric acid, potassium, and sodium salts for the digestion of food. The location of upper and lower sphincter muscles helps to prevent the backflow of the gastric acids back into the oesophagus.

Note: The word oesophagus is derived from a Greek word oesophagus, meaning “gullet. “ The occurrence of contraction and relaxation of the muscles in a radially symmetrical manner which moves along the esophageal tube in a wave-like motion is called peristalsis. The smooth muscle tissue contracts in the digestive tract to produce a peristaltic contraction, which propels the chewed food along the tract.