Changes

The '''larynx''' (or ''voicebox'') is the organ of voice in mammals. It is a tubular chamber about 2 inches high, consisting of walls of [[cartilage]] bound by [[ligament]]s and membranes, and moved by [[muscle]]s. The human larynx extends from the [[trachea]] (or windpipe), the principal tube that carries air to and from the [[lung]]s.

The '''larynx''' (or ''voicebox'') is part of the respiratory system involved in voice production. It consists of cartilage, membranous tissue and muscles. It has [[vocal chords]] which in humans help in speech generation. The muscles are supplied by laryngeal nerve some times involved in cancer or throat surgeries.  

 

In humans, part of the structure may protrude noticeably at the front of the neck, forming the so-called ''Adam's apple''.  It is especially prevalent in men.  Within the larynx lie the vocal cords, or vocal folds, a pair of elastic folds in the lining of [[mucous membrane]]. During silent breathing, the vocal cords rest along the larynx walls, leaving the air passage fully open. During speech, the cords are stretched across the larynx; air released from the lungs is forced between the cords, causing them to vibrate and so produce what we call the voice. The articulation of these sounds results from the manipulation of [[teeth]], [[tongue]], [[palate]], and [[lip]]s.

 

Various muscles adjust the tension of the cords as well as the space between them, thus altering the pitch of the sounds produced. The more taut the cords, the higher the pitch that is produced. Since men's larynges are usually larger than women's, the longer vocal cords lead to a deeper voice than that which is generally heard in women. Growth may double the length of the vocal cords in the male adolescent, thereby leading to the "change of voice" phenomenon.

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