Now, because we have this connection, this intersection between the windpipe and our esophagus, we basically have a flap of cartilage known as epiglottis that separates the windpipe from Aristophagus. So what the windpipe does is it allows the movement of air from the mouth from the nose or mouth to our lungs while what our esophagus allows us to do is it allows us to actually move the food from the mouth to our stomach. Now what this epiglottis does is when we initiate the process of swallowing, when we begin swallowing our food, our epiglottis basically closes our windpipe and that allows our food bowls to actually move along the pharynx and right into our esophagus. So the pharynx is the passageway that connects the nasal and the oral cavity to our windpipe, our larynx and the trachea as well as to our esophagus. It allows not only the movement of air into and out of the lungs but it also allows the movement of our food bowls into our esophagus. Now, in order to actually prevent the movement of the food into our windpipe, a cartilage in this flap called the epiglottis forms a protective barrier that keeps the food out of the larynx.