Biology Digestion/Nutrition MDCAT 2017
PMDC Verified Question 33 of 48
Food is diverted in the esophagus by:
A
Glottis
B
Cheeks
C
Tongue
D
Epiglottis
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option D: Epiglottis
Concept:

During the swallowing reflex, the respiratory tract must be temporarily sealed off to prevent food or liquids from entering the lungs.

Formula:

N/A

Solution:

  • The epiglottis is a flap of elastic cartilage attached to the entrance of the larynx.
  • During swallowing, the larynx moves upward, causing the epiglottis to fold flat and cover the glottis (the opening to the trachea).
  • This physical barrier safely diverts the food bolus down the esophagus.


Why other options are incorrect:

The glottis is the opening itself (which gets covered), cheeks aid in chewing, and the tongue pushes the bolus backward but does not physically block the airway.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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