How does food move through the esophagus?

Answer 1

Saliva in the mouth moistens the food, while mastication (chewing) breaks the food into pieces. These enter the esophagus where gravity, the circular action of sliding against smooth muscle, and slight peristalsis moves the food into the stomach. Peristalsis is similar to gentle waves within the muscle walls of the esophagus. Peristalsis only and always moves in one direction: downward. Peristalsis in the intestines is stronger.
gravity my friend. gravity.

Answer 2

Peristalsis is the wave-like contraction of smooth muscles in esophagus that moves food down towards the stomach. The gastroesophageal junction lets food enter the stomach from the esophagus. To visualize peristalsis, imagine your index and middle fingers are on and squeezing the bottom of a toothpaste tube. If you keep your fingers tight and slide them up the tube, toothpaste (if the cap's off) will pour out of the end of the tube.

In the esophagus and intestines, the same thing happens, only instead of two fingers, strong muscles do the squeezing, starting with a muscle in your throat, then the next muscle down, then the next muscles below that, until the rippling squeezings of the muscles reach their destination. In the case of the esophagus, the destination is your stomach.

This rippling muscle movement is called "peristalsis" (pair-uh-STALL-sis). The batch of food being swallowed is called the "bolus." These two terms also apply to the intestines. The muscle behind the bolus contracts while the muscle in front relaxes, continuously in a wave-like motion.

Answer 3

By using a series of muscles in the throat, the esophagus pushes food down into your stomach

Answer 4

Once food has entered the esophagus, it doesn't just drop into your stomach. The muscles in your esophagus move in a wavy way to slowly squeeze food through.

Answer 5

your esophagus