In human phonetics and anatomy, how do the vocal cords of women usually compare in length to the vocal cords of men?

Introduction / Context:
The pitch and tone of a person's voice depend largely on the length and tension of the vocal cords, also called vocal folds, located in the larynx. On average, men have longer and thicker vocal cords than women, which contributes to deeper voices. This question asks for a specific comparison: how much shorter the vocal cords of women usually are compared with those of men.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the relative length of vocal cords in adult men and women.
• Options give differences of 5 mm or 15 mm, either shorter or longer.
• We assume average adult measurements, not individual variations.
• The question is conceptual, not about exact numerical measurement for clinical practice.

Concept / Approach:
Adult male vocal cords typically measure around 17 to 25 millimetres, while adult female vocal cords measure around 12.5 to 17.5 millimetres. This means that in general, female vocal cords are shorter than male vocal cords by roughly 5 millimetres on average. Shorter and thinner vocal cords vibrate at higher frequencies, which is why female voices are usually higher pitched. Therefore, the correct option must indicate that women have vocal cords approximately 5 millimetres shorter than men.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that men usually have deeper voices due to longer and thicker vocal cords, while women have shorter vocal cords.Step 2: Consider typical ranges: male vocal cord length is often about 17 to 25 mm, female about 12.5 to 17.5 mm.Step 3: Compute the broad difference between the midpoints of these ranges, which is roughly about 5 mm.Step 4: Examine option A, which states that vocal cords in women are approximately 5 mm shorter than in men. This aligns well with the typical anatomical data.Step 5: Reject options suggesting much larger or opposite differences, as they do not match physiological averages.Step 6: Conclude that option A is the most accurate of the given choices.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative way to verify is to link vocal cord length with observed voice pitch. The difference in pitch between average male and female voices is noticeable but not extreme, which supports a moderate difference in vocal cord length rather than a very large one. A 5 mm difference fits this moderate change, while 15 mm would be unrealistically large for average adult anatomy. Standard anatomy references also support a female vocal cord length that is slightly but consistently shorter than the male average.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because a difference of 15 mm would make female vocal cords extremely short compared with male vocal cords, which is not reflective of reality. Option C is wrong because it suggests female vocal cords are longer, which contradicts the fact that men usually have deeper voices due to longer vocal cords. Option D is wrong for the same reason and implies an even more unrealistic difference.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes overestimate the anatomical differences between men and women or confuse length with thickness. While male vocal cords are generally both longer and thicker, the difference in length is moderate, not extreme. Another pitfall is to guess blindly instead of remembering that average female voices are higher pitched due to shorter vocal cords. Keeping in mind the basic connection between cord length and pitch helps you choose the correct approximate difference in such multiple choice questions.

Final Answer:
They are approximately 5 mm shorter than vocal cords in men.