Why is it necessary for the treachea to have rings of cartalige in its walls?

Question

Why is it necessary for the treachea to have rings of cartalige in its walls?

Answer 1

To achieve peristalsis, the esophagus has muscles that ripple down your neck moving food down untill its in your stomach, the movement of food down the esophagus is not due to gravity, and you can swallow food upside down. The treachea takes air to the lungs, it does not need the same rippling muscles lining it because as the diaphram pulls your lungs downwards, lower air pressure is contained in your lungs so air rushes in from a region of high pressure. Thats why it is hard to breathe at higher altitudes on mountains and the like. Some cartlage does work to hold the treachea stable and firm as you breathe in, otherwise it would be like when you place an object over a vaccum cleaner and the hose colapses under preasure.

Answer 2

It prevents the trachea from collapsing when you breathe in.

When you breathe in the pressure in the airway drops. The suction effect will then suck in the trachea and close it off, if the rings were not present.

If you get a straw and press it flat. Then try to suck air through it quickly, by comprimising the strength of the stucture, you will find the straw collapses and it becomes impossible to suck air. The same would happen in the trachea.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

it gives it structure for a clear path to the lungs.  If it is just some tissue added together like the esophagus, the air cannot get through.  The trachea then cannot be clogged as easily.

Answer 4

It keeps if from collapsing.  If it didn't have them there your trachea would collapse every time you breathed in.

Answer 5

to hold it open...like a dryer vent.  otherwise it would collapse