How do we raise the pitch of our voice?

By tightening and stretching the folds

Why do many men have deeper voices?

Their vocal folds are longer and thicker

What can cause vocal nodules?

Overusing or straining the voice

Vocal Cords Quiz: How Your Voice Box Vibrates

This vocal cords quiz looks inside the larynx to see how breath becomes speech and song. Play an interactive set of 10 questions on vocal folds, the glottis, air from the lungs, pitch and tension, why voices differ, the epiglottis, the Adam's apple, whispering, laryngitis and vocal nodules.

Start Vocal Cords Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Where
Where are the vocal cords located?
Name
What is another name for the vocal cords?
Power
What makes the vocal folds vibrate?
Gap
What is the opening between the vocal folds called?
Pitch
How do we raise the pitch of our voice?
Deep
Why do many men have deeper voices?
Lid
Which flap protects the airway when we swallow?
Apple
What is the Adam's apple?
Whisper
What is different about whispering?
Nodules
What can cause vocal nodules?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Where are the vocal cords located?
Answer: In the larynx
It is called the voice box.
Q2: What is another name for the vocal cords?
Answer: Vocal folds
They are folds of tissue.
Q3: What makes the vocal folds vibrate?
Answer: Air pushed up from the lungs
Breath is the power source.
Q4: What is the opening between the vocal folds called?
Answer: The glottis
It opens to breathe.
Q5: How do we raise the pitch of our voice?
Answer: By tightening and stretching the folds
Faster vibration means higher pitch.
Q6: Why do many men have deeper voices?
Answer: Their vocal folds are longer and thicker
Puberty changes the larynx.
Q7: Which flap protects the airway when we swallow?
Answer: The epiglottis
It stops food going down the wrong way.
Q8: What is the Adam's apple?
Answer: Part of the thyroid cartilage
It surrounds the larynx.
Q9: What is different about whispering?
Answer: The folds do not fully vibrate
Air rushes through a gap.
Q10: What can cause vocal nodules?
Answer: Overusing or straining the voice
Singers and teachers are at risk.

Vocal Cords Quiz – How Your Voice Box Vibrates

Your vocal cords, more accurately called vocal folds, are two bands of tissue inside the larynx, or voice box. When air from the lungs pushes between them, they vibrate and create sound.

Muscles tighten and stretch the folds to raise pitch, and longer, thicker folds produce deeper voices, which is why many men speak lower after puberty. The opening between the folds is called the glottis.

The epiglottis covers the airway when you swallow, and the Adam's apple is part of the cartilage around the larynx. Whispering barely vibrates the folds, while shouting or straining can cause laryngitis or nodules.

What This Quiz Teaches

Biology fans will enjoy these questions.

Where the vocal folds are
How they make sound
How pitch changes
Which parts protect them
What can harm them

Did You Know?

Vocal folds can vibrate hundreds of times per second.
The mouth and throat shape the sound into words.
Drinking water keeps vocal folds healthy.
Doctors view the folds with a small camera.
Singers train breathing to protect their voices.