What are the two large branches that come off the trachea called?

• A. Bronchi
• B. Esophagus
• C. Alveoli
• D. Pleura

Answer: (A)

Air passages split from the trachea into two large tubes that carry air into each lung. These two main branches are the bronchi, specifically the primary (or mainstem) bronchi. The split happens at the carina, with one main bronchus entering each lung and then branching further to supply the airways inside the lungs. This is a basic airway anatomy concept because it explains how air moves from the trachea into the lungs for gas exchange.

The esophagus is the tube that carries food to the stomach and sits behind the trachea, not part of the airway. Alveoli are tiny air sacs at the ends of the airway where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. The pleura are the membranes surrounding the lungs, forming the pleural space.