Apples, Potatoes, & Onions
Can you trick your taste buds by closing your nose?
We all know our tongues play an important role in determining the flavors of the foods we eat—but, what about our noses?
Materials Checklist
- An Apple
- A Cutting Board
- A Knife
- An Onion
- A Potato
Questions and Things to Notice
We all know our tongues play an important role in determining the flavors of the foods we eat—but, what about our noses?
Our taste buds are great at detecting the five basic flavors: salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and savory (also called umami). But what about
In this experiment, we're going to see just how important our sense of smell is to experiencing taste. As crazy as it seems, we'll bet that without your sense of smell, you won't be able to tell slices of apple, potato, and onion apart! This experiment requires the help of an adult. Never handle knives or sharp objects without adult supervision.
Procedure
-
Step 1
Thoroughly wash the apple, onion, and potato, and ask an adult to cut small, paper thin slices of each.
-
Step 2
Close your eyes and, without knowing which is which, taste one slice of each of the fruits and vegetables. You should be able to easily tell which is which.
-
Step 3
Now, close your eyes again, but this time also pinch your nose closed with your fingers. Try each of the samples again and see if you can tell which is which. You might be surprised at how similarly they appear to taste to one another.
What's Going On?
Our tongues play a huge role in determining the flavors of the foods we eat—but, they might not play as big a role as you think.
You must be logged in to comment.
Materials Checklist
- An Apple
- A Cutting Board
- A Knife
- An Onion
- A Potato
