Question

1.The bands of cartilage in the trachea, which can be felt when touching the throat, hold the air passages open at all time. Why aren't the air passages constructed like the esophagus, which remains pressed flat until something is swallowed?

2. Iron is a critical component of hemoglobin. If the body is lacking in iron, thus interfering with the production of hemoglobin, how would this affect the ability of red blood cells to transfer oxygen and carbon dioxide?

Answer 1

Q1 Answer :- The valve created by the cricopharyngeous muscle at the top of the esophagus keeps air out of the digestive system during breathing.The valves created by the false and true vocal folds and the epiglottis prevent food from entering the airway during swallowing.

Esophagus has one main purpose: to move food from your throat to your stomach. The food you eat can't be used for energy until your digestive system breaks it down. Sphincters act like one-way valves.

Q2 lacking of iron/ hemoglobin vs ability of red blood cells to transfer oxygen and co2

Answer :- Hemoglobin distributes its cargo of oxygen, it picks up waste gasses, such as carbon dioxide, and carries them back to your lungs, where they’re expelled in your exhaled breath.

RBCs( red blood cells) clearly play a vital role in keeping your cells supplied with oxygen.

But if you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen , and which leads to the desease 'anemia'.