This document discusses the physiology of phonation, or voice production. It covers the key laryngeal cartilages involved, muscles that control them, and the aerodynamic process of phonation. The vocal folds must be approximated, properly tensed and elongated, and airflow must be established from the lungs. Once these conditions are met, the vocal folds vibrate through the interplay of subglottal pressure, elasticity, and the Bernoulli force, creating the periodic sound waves of speech.