Explain why swallowed food does not usually enter the airway leading to the lungs?

Answer 1

when the food descends down the esophagus the epiglottis covers the opening to the airway preventing food from entering. A person will usually cough if food gets caught on the epiglottis to clear the airway again. strokes (or any disorder that could cause paralysis of the neck muscles) may cause paralysis of the muscles of the epiglottis, which would inhibit or interfere with the epiglottis from closing (of which could cause choking).

Answer 2

Because your body knows when food is coming, you may not feel it but if you pay attention when your chewing, you can feel this almost atomatic swallow. You can try this to feel that 'almost automatic" swallow: Put a sold in your mouth and chew it as long as you can. See your body forces it down also when you swallow you don't breathe for that 2-3 seconds. But ya It automatically closes its just the way our bodies work :) Hope it helped

The epiglottis covers the airway to prevent food from "going down the wrong pipe." The epiglottis is a flap of cartilage attached to the entrance of the larynx.

Answer 3

Because your food enters your mouth and when swallowed it will go down the esophagus because of the epiglottis.

Answer 4

Because the lungs are for air to going into the body. The food goes through the

digestive process to get the healthy stuff.

Answer 5

because you are smart.