A leaf-shaped cartilage that prevents food from entering the larynx during swallowing is known as the?

A leaf-shaped cartilage that prevents food from entering the larynx during swallowing is known as the?

• A. Arytenoid
• B. Cricoid
• C. Epiglottis
• D. Hyoid

Answer: (C)

Airway protection during swallowing hinges on sealing the laryngeal inlet. The leaf-shaped structure that does this is the epiglottis. It is elastic cartilage that sits at the top of the larynx and behind the tongue. When you swallow, the larynx rises and the epiglottis tilts backward to cover the opening of the larynx, directing food toward the esophagus and preventing it from entering the airway. It stays open during normal breathing to allow air to pass. The other structures listed aren’t involved in forming this protective lid: arytenoid cartilages move the vocal cords, the cricoid ring provides the lower frame of the larynx, and the hyoid bone supports the tongue and larynx but doesn’t seal the airway during swallowing.

Airway protection during swallowing hinges on sealing the laryngeal inlet. The leaf-shaped structure that does this is the epiglottis. It is elastic cartilage that sits at the top of the larynx and behind the tongue. When you swallow, the larynx rises and the epiglottis tilts backward to cover the opening of the larynx, directing food toward the esophagus and preventing it from entering the airway. It stays open during normal breathing to allow air to pass. The other structures listed aren’t involved in forming this protective lid: arytenoid cartilages move the vocal cords, the cricoid ring provides the lower frame of the larynx, and the hyoid bone supports the tongue and larynx but doesn’t seal the airway during swallowing.