Question

Which of the following prevents collapsing of trachea?
A. Muscles
B. Diaphragm
C. Ribs
D. Cartilaginous rings

Answer 1

Hint: The human body part Trachea also known as windpipe is a long tube-shaped organ in the body which is attached to the larynx and to the oesophagus towards the lungs. The trachea is built by 16 to 20 stacked, C-shaped pieces of hyaline cartilage which are in turn held together by a dense connective tissue.

Complete answer:
In a human body, the primary function of a Respiratory system is to provide the in taking and outlet of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body respectively. The respiration process in humans is generally divided into two zones that are, conducting zones and Respiratory zones.
The respiratory zone is the zone which directly deals with the exchange of gases in the human body and the parts which constitute a respiratory zone are the structure of the lungs which are the terminal bronchioles and alveoli. Whereas the Conducting zone is the zone in the respiration process of humans which does not involve direct exchange of gases, but they provide a way for the air to reach the lungs in and out of it.
The Trachea as we know now is a part of the respiratory system of human beings which comes in the Conducting zone of the respiratory system. The Trachea also is known as windpipe is a long tube-shaped organ in the body which is attached to the larynx and to the oesophagus towards the lungs which allows the flow of air, and it is available in almost all the animals with lungs. The trachea starts from the larynx and then it further splits into two primary bronchi. The posterior of a trachea may be covered with a combination of horseshoe-shaped cartilages and trachealis muscle and an elastic connective tissue known as fibroelastic membrane which in turn helps the trachea to stretch and expand during inhalation and exhalation, as the rings of that cartilage help maintain rigid structural support and don’t let the trachea collapse.
Option D, as the Cartilaginous rings provide the structural support which the trachea requires to stay firm and strong and not to collapse during respiration.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D).

Note: When the trachea is affected due to some viral infection or illness it can result in coughing. Bacterial infection generally affects only the trachea and not any other parts of the respiratory system and as result it can cause narrowing and swelling of trachea.