Nature Example
⬇️
2. The Oesophagus
This is the food pipe that connects your mouth to your stomach.
Its job is to:
Squeeze the ball of food (called a 'bolus') down into your stomach, a bit like squeezing toothpaste from a tube.
💡 Fun Facts
- It doesn't matter if you're standing up or hanging upside down; this squeezing motion, called 'peristalsis', will always get your food to your stomach.
- It only takes about 7 seconds for food to travel down your oesophagus.
- A little flap called the 'epiglottis' cleverly covers your windpipe when you swallow to make sure food goes the right way.