So we ingest our food. Mechanical and chemical digestion begins in our mouth. Next, it travels to the pharynx. The pharynx is basically the region that connects our oil cavity to the esophagus as well as to our trachea and larynx. Basically the windpipe that is not shown in this diagram that connects to our lungs. Now within the pharynx we have this cartilage known as epiglottis.