The typical human esophagus is about 10 inches long. This muscular tube carries swallowed food and liquid from the pharynx, behind the windpipe and heart, to the stomach. In anatomical measurements, 10 inches is commonly given as approximately 25 centimeters.
The esophagus begins near the sixth cervical vertebra and passes through the chest before crossing the diaphragm. Only about 1 centimeter of it lies within the abdominal cavity before it reaches the stomach. Its walls use coordinated, wave-like contractions called peristalsis to move food downward, so gravity is helpful but not essential.
A common mix-up is confusing the esophagus with the trachea. The esophagus is the food tube; the trachea is the airway. The epiglottis helps protect the airway during swallowing, while upper and lower esophageal sphincters help control passage and reduce reflux. The length varies somewhat with a person's size and anatomy, so 10 inches is a typical adult approximation rather than an exact measurement for everyone.