Final answer:
Water goes down the throat through the process of swallowing, also known as deglutition, which is an active, complex process involving multiple muscles and the nervous system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process by which water goes down the throat is known as swallowing, or deglutition. This is not a passive process like osmosis, diffusion, or filtration, but rather an active one that involves several bodily systems. When we swallow, the skeletal muscles in the tongue and the smooth muscles in the pharynx and esophagus all work together to push the water from the mouth to the stomach. This complex process also relies on the nervous system to coordinate these muscular actions and prevent food and liquid from entering the respiratory pathways. Swallowing consists of three phases: the voluntary phase, where the tongue pushes the water into the pharynx, the pharyngeal phase, which is involuntary and starts as the water enters the pharynx, and finally, the esophageal phase, where the water is moved through the esophagus to the stomach.