Articulatory phonetics is a branch of phonetics that studies how speech sounds are produced by the human vocal tract. It focuses on the movements and positions of the lips, tongue, vocal cords, and other speech organs during the articulation of sounds. By analyzing these physical processes, researchers can understand how different sounds are formed and categorized. This field also examines the classification of sounds based on their articulatory features, such as place of articulation (where the sound is produced) and manner of articulation (how the sound is produced). Understanding these aspects helps linguists and language learners grasp the complexities of spoken language.