Final answer:
The food travels down the esophagus after leaving the mouth. This tube, part of the GI tract, uses peristalsis to move food to the stomach. When ill, pain during swallowing often points to an esophagus issue, such as esophagitis or heartburn.
Step-by-step explanation:
A. Esophagus.
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a long tube that carries food from the mouth to the anus. Once food leaves the mouth, it moves down the esophagus, which is a muscular tube that connects the throat (pharynx) to the stomach. The role of the esophagus is to transport food to the stomach after it has been chewed and swallowed.
It performs this task with rhythmic muscle movements called peristalsis. When someone is ill and experiences pain while swallowing, the discomfort is often felt in the esophagus, which is the tube that food travels down to reach the stomach. This pain could be an indicator of several conditions, such as esophagitis or heartburn, which are common issues that affect the esophagus.