The larynx is the voice box which is located in the throat. It is in front of the esophagus at the upper end of the windpipe (trachea). It is through the larynx that one is able to make sounds. The little bands or vocal cords in the larynx move back and forth as air is forced out the mouth.
In the larynx are nine cartilages and other ligaments. The biggest of these is the thyroid cartilage, often called the Adam's apple. This is usually larger in men than in women. The epiglottis covers the larynx as one swallows, to prevent food from going down the trachea. One cannot breathe and swallow at the same time.
In the larynx are folds of tissue called the ventricular folds. Two pairs contain the false and true vocal cords. The true cords plus the cartilages and ligaments help produce sound. Nerve impulses help control the vocal cords to make different sounds.
The larynx grows as the body grows. The largest growth is during puberty, particularly in boys. The boy's larynx grows so fast that the Adam's apple becomes very prominent, and he is unable to control his vocal cords. As the vocal cords become thicker and longer the voice becomes deeper in quality and pitch.
