Question

Sketch larynx and explain its function in your own words.

Answer 1

Hint: Larynx in a human body refers to the organ which is responsible for the production of voice in humans. It is also called a voice box, which is located at the throat region of a human body. The different voice modulations produced by human beings cannot be generated as they are, without the functioning of the larynx. Vocal folds in the larynx vibrate as the air reaches the larynx from the windpipe, to produce the sensation of voice.

Complete answer:
 A diagram of larynx as shown below can be used to understand the working of the same.

From the diagram, it is clear that larynx is a hollow tube, located at the top of the windpipe (trachea) in human beings. Air from the lungs passes through the windpipe, larynx and finally, through mouths, to produce voice in human beings. Here, larynx controls the amount of air, which passes from the windpipe to the mouth, generating voice modulations in humans. This job is mainly done by vocal cords or vocal folds in the larynx. They are nothing but soft tissues, which can be seen on either side of the given diagram. As the air reaches the larynx from the trachea, vocal cords start vibrating to produce sounds, which we hear as voices.
The amount of air allowed to pass through the larynx depends on the length of vocal cords. This can easily be related to the different voices produced among an adult male, an adult female and a child.

Additional Information:
Cartilage, as can be seen from the diagram, is nothing but a skeletal like structure, which prevents the collapse of the larynx. Its basic purpose is to protect the organ from damage. On the other hand, epiglottis labelled in the diagram is nothing but a flaplike projection to the throat, which prevents the passage of food through the windpipe. Its basic purpose is to block the food from entering the trachea.

Note:
Suppose the larynx is removed from a human body, air passes from the lungs directly through the mouths, failing to create the sensation of voice. A sound might get produced because of the tubular structure of trachea but modulations in voices cannot be generated for sure. Thus, the characteristics of human voice like pitch and volume are controlled by the voice box or larynx.