Human head anatomy. Illustration of a section through the lower head and neck region, showing the beginning of both the respiratory and digestive tracts. Below the eye is the nasal cavity, above the bony hard palate (roof of the mouth). Here, air breathed in through the nose is warmed and filtered. Below the palate is the oral cavity (mouth) and tongue (pink, striped). Above the soft palate (posterior roof of the mouth) is the nasopharynx, which is a passage for air to pass from the nasal cavities to the laryngopharynx (back of throat). Air flows into the larynx (voice box) and down the trachea (windpipe) into the lungs. Food passes through the oropharynx (back of the mouth) into the oesophagus, which is behind the trachea and leads to the