Why do people burp, what is the science behind it?

Question

When you eat or drink something, and you get instantaneous burping, how exactly is that happening, what causes it to happen, and most of all why does it happen.

I guess what I really mean is what is happening inside the body to make the body want to burp, and what is the purpose of it. I am looking for a DETAILED explanation. How does liquids vs solids differ in how and why they make a person burp. Please get as complicated as you like.

Answer 1

It's gas in your stomach that need to go out.

Answer 2

Belching, also known as burping, ructus, or eructation, involves the release of gas from the digestive tract (mainly esophagus and stomach) through the mouth. It is usually accompanied with a typical sound and, at times, an odor.

Belching is typically caused by eating or drinking too fast, and thereby swallowing (aerophagia) and subsequently expelling air, in which the expelled gas is a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. Burps can also be caused by drinking carbonated drinks such as beer, soft drinks, or champagne, in which case the expelled gas is carbon dioxide from the drink itself. Common diabetes drugs metformin [1] and Byetta [2] can cause belching, especially at higher doses. This often resolves in a few weeks. Belching combined with other symptoms such as dyspepsia, nausea, and heartburn may be a sign of an ulcer or hiatal hernia, and should be reviewed by a physician. [3]

The sound of burping is caused by the vibration of the upper esophageal sphincter[4] as the gas passes through it. The current Guinness world record for the loudest burp is 118.1 dB, set by Paul Hunn from London, England in 2000.[5] (This would be noticeably louder than a chainsaw at a distance of 1 meter.)

In many parts of the world, audible burping is not much appreciated and is therefore considered to be somewhat impolite (although generally not as much as flatulence). However, in other areas it can be considered a sign of completion of a meal or a form of applause for the cook. Sometimes, children and teenagers engage in burping contests to determine who can produce the loudest burp, the longest burp, the most guttural burp, the burping of words, songs, or even the alphabet.