Respiratory System Part 2 - Larynx

Question 1

where does air exchange happen?

Answer 1

the larynx

Question 2

where do we produce sound?

Answer 2

the larynx

Question 3

what is the larynx covered in?

Answer 3

a mucous membrane
- just like most of the respiratory system

Question 4

what is the structure of the larynx?

Answer 4

very strong but it contains almost no bone

Question 5

what is the only bone apart of the larync?

Answer 5

hyoid bone

Question 6

where is the hyoid bone?

Answer 6

right at the top of the larynx
- kind of ‘U’ shaped

Question 7

what is most of the larynx structure formed by?

Answer 7

mainly by cartilage and then some ligamentous membrane

Question 8

what structures form the walls of the larynx?

Answer 8

the ligamentous membranes

Question 9

where is the thyroid gland?

Answer 9

anteriorly, near the bottom of the larynx

Question 10

what are the three unpaired cartilages that form the structure of the larynx?

Answer 10

• thyroid cartilage
• cricoid cartilage
• epiglottis

Question 11

which larynx cartilage is the largest?

Answer 11

thyroid cartilage
- has two large plates that connect anteriorly

Question 12

where do the two thyroid cartilage plates of the larynx connect?

Answer 12

anteriorly at the laryngeal prominence (adams apple)

Question 13

what is different about the adams apple in men and women?

Answer 13

the angle and size in larger in males and tilts a little more forward in a male (why is sticks out)

Question 14

is thyroid cartilage in the larynx a complete ring?

Answer 14

no, it is open in the back

Question 15

how does the thyroid cartilage of the larynx connect to the hyoid bone?

Answer 15

by a membrane

Question 16

where is cricoid cartilage in relation to thyroid cartilage in the larynx?

Answer 16

inferiorly

Question 17

is the cricoid cartilage a complete ring?

Answer 17

yes
- narrow anteriorly but broad posteriorly

Question 18

what is the joint that joins the cricoid and thyroid cartilage in the larynx?

Answer 18

the cricothyroid joint
- between the inferior horn of the thyroid cartilage and the sides of the cricoid cartilage

Question 19

what does the cricothyroid join allow?

Answer 19

a flexion-extentsion movement ( tilt back - tilt forward)

Question 20

what are vocal ligaments involved in?

Answer 20

the productive of sound

Question 21

what is stretched or relaxed when you tilt back or forward at your cricothyroid joint?

Answer 21

the vocal ligament
- this affects the pitch of voice

Question 22

what is the shape of the epiglottis?

Answer 22

like a fan

Question 23

what is the epiglottis important for?

Answer 23

closing off the larynx when we swallow food

Question 24

what is the epiglottis attached to?

Answer 24

interior surface of adams apple by a ligament so that the epiglottis can have some mobility

Question 25

everything below the cricoid cartilage is called?

Answer 25

the trachea
- further down is the lungs

Question 26

what are the posterior paired cartilages of the larynx?

Answer 26

• arytenoid cartilage

Question 27

what is the shape of the arytenoid cartilages?

Answer 27

pyramid shaped

Question 28

where does the arytenoid cartilage sit?

Answer 28

on top of the cricoid cartilage of the larynx to form a join called the cricoarytenoid joint

Question 29

what is the vocal process?

Answer 29

the pointy bit at the front of the arytenoid cartilage of the larynx

Question 30

where is the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage?

Answer 30

at the back

Question 31

where does the vocal ligament connect from?

Answer 31

from the tip of the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage to the inside of the thyroid cartilage

Question 32

what is in between the vocal ligament and the cricoid cartilage beneath?

Answer 32

a membrane that fills in the space called the cricothyroid membrane
- connects all along the cricoid cartilage on both sides and attached to the interior thyroid cartilage anteriorly, all along the vocal ligament and then to the arytenoid cartilage posteriorly

Question 33

what does the cricothyroid membrane form?

Answer 33

the vocal folds / vocal cords
- one on each side

Question 34

where do we produce sound?

Answer 34

the cricothyroid membrane which forms the vocal cords

Question 35

how does the vocal cords do abduction and adduction?

Answer 35

they have a number of tiny muscles attached to the muscular process on the back of the arytenoid cartilage which will help move the arytenoids on the cricoarytenoid joint

Question 36

what is a vocal fold?

Answer 36

when you have a vocal ligament, add the cricothyroid ligament, and add mucous

Question 37

what joint does adduction and abduction of the vocal cords?

Answer 37

cricoarytenoid joint

Question 38

why do we need abduction and adduction of the cricoarytenoid joint?

Answer 38

• backup if the epiglottis doesn’t stop food from getting in larynx (adduction/close the vocal folds)
• adduction of arytenoids will produce sound

Question 39

how does the adduction of arytenoids produce sound?

Answer 39

• the vocal ligaments will be very close to each other, we can force air up from the lungs out of the larynx and that causes the vibration of the vocal folds against each other
• high pitch = quicker vibration = smaller space between the folds

Question 40

why is our pitch affected by the tilts of our cricothyroid joint?

Answer 40

because if we tilt the thyroid cartilage forward, it stretched the vocal ligament which will cause a higher pitched sound

Question 41

why do men have a lower pitch than females?

Answer 41

• the anatomy of the larynx
• men have a larger larynx
• men have longer vocal ligaments
• which all causes a deeper voice

Question 42

when we talk about the opening and closing of the vocal folds, what do we say?

Answer 42

the glottis is open or closed

Question 43

what is the glottis?

Answer 43

the space between the vocal folds