Can we Measure and Quantifying smell? (Dog Experiment)

In summary, the student wants to study what kind of smells do dog's prefer over other's but using household (safe items), food, and dirty clothing. He needs to come up with a way to quantify his measurements.
  • #1
piareround
79
0
So right now I am shadowing a 8th grade science teacher at Drew Charter school and I was helping a student work on his idea come up with a science fair project.

The student wants to study what kind of smells do dog's prefer over other's but using household (safe items), food, and dirty clothing. The student need to come up with a way to quantify his measurements. I was perplexed by how people measure smell (units?), so I suggested to him that he could do simple bean counting of dog's preferences from a large sample size (like 100 dogs) with 10 choices done in a random order.
This got me wondering later about if their was prehaps a more concrete way to measure smell intensity and preference.

In biology, is their a scientific way to quantify and measure smell? If so what are the units? Can it be measured by scientific equipment? Are common smells classified on a standardized scientific scale or taxonomic way to classify smell?
If not then how do we know dog's can smell better? How do we say a smell is weak or strong?

Any suggestion or comment would be appreciated.
 
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  • #2
piareround said:
If not then how do we know dog's can smell better?
You have many questions that I don't have an answer to, but the fact that dogs can be trained to detect smells that are undetectable to the human nose is a clear indication that their nose is more sensitive.
 
  • #3
Monique said:
You have many questions that I don't have an answer to, but the fact that dogs can be trained to detect smells that are undetectable to the human nose is a clear indication that their nose is more sensitive.

True, I feel like culturally we have enough evidence to suggestion what we know about dog's smelling better to the point that a friend of mind mentioned that maybe they have done MRI scans on dog's brains. I fell like because of common sense their should have some work in actually measuring smells or measuring how dog's smell and quantifying sensitivity.

However, I feel like I do not know enough about the biology of smell to know what to look for.
 
  • #4
I googled How Much Better Is A Dog's Sense Of Smell, and got some good hits. (lots of wiki stuff which I didn't follow, but some more reputable sources as well)

You might try the same Google search to continue your reading.

This PDF was near the top of the list, and two of the references at the end seem to refer to dog physiology...

www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0066/UNP-0066.pdf

(it's a bit slow to serve up, so be patient)...
 
  • #5
I don't remember what they're called but there are devices that can count parts per million of chemicals in the air. This would be as close to a "smelling machine" as there probably is, and the relative intensity of a smell must surely be linked to how many ppm's of the operative chemical there are in the vicinity.
 
  • #6
Well, I guess we can actually count the number of nasal receptor cells in a dog's nose and a human's nose and get some kind of ratio from that. I understand a dog's sensitivity is thousands of times greater than a human's.
 
  • #7
Dogs are always looking up but smelling down. Of course they can sniff out poop and death skillfully at great distances, but there skill is myopic. They can only smell the tree , and never the forrest.
Human's sniff out mathematical theorems which, "reflect a robust platonic world that is not of our making". I will stick with my nose for the time being.
 
  • #8
notuhjim said:
Dogs are always looking up but smelling down. Of course they can sniff out poop and death skillfully at great distances, but there skill is myopic. They can only smell the tree , and never the forrest.
Human's sniff out mathematical theorems which, "reflect a robust platonic world that is not of our making". I will stick with my nose for the time being.
Sorry but I have no idea what you're trying to say here. How is our sense of smell qualitatively different to a dogs?
 
  • #9
Maybe use threshold detection levels - something a dog really wants, and use it first at high dilutions in air. Increase the concentration slowly until the dog responds. Can compare with threshold levels in humans but unlikely that the receptors are identical in every regard - there are almost certainly qualitative (smell type) as well as quantitative (sensitivity) differences.

Preferences between smells are much more complex, depending on hunger, mood, competing smells, and complementary smells. For example, a dog may like dirty laundry if his master is away, but not be interested in it when he is present. This experiment could be very frustrating.
 

1. How do you measure smell?

Measuring smell is a complex process that involves both quantitative and qualitative methods. Some common techniques include using gas chromatography, electronic nose sensors, and trained human sniffers. Each method has its own advantages and limitations, and the choice of method depends on the specific goals of the experiment.

2. Can dogs accurately measure and quantify smells?

Dogs have a highly developed sense of smell and are often used in various fields, such as search and rescue, drug detection, and medical diagnosis. Studies have shown that dogs can detect and distinguish between different smells with high accuracy. However, their ability to quantify smells is limited, and they may not be able to provide precise measurements like human sniffers or electronic sensors.

3. How do you ensure the reliability of results in a dog experiment for measuring smell?

To ensure reliability, it is important to train the dogs extensively and use a controlled experimental setup. This includes using standardized stimuli, controlling environmental factors, and following strict protocols for data collection and analysis. It is also crucial to have a large sample size and replicate the experiment to validate the results.

4. What are some factors that can affect the measurement of smell in a dog experiment?

There are various factors that can affect the measurement of smell in a dog experiment, such as the breed of the dog, its training and experience, the type of stimuli used, and the environmental conditions. Additionally, the handler's bias and the dog's emotional state can also impact the results.

5. Can we use the results of a dog experiment to make generalizations about human smell perception?

While dogs have a remarkable sense of smell, it is important to note that their olfactory system is different from humans. Therefore, the results of a dog experiment may not necessarily reflect human smell perception accurately. However, dogs can provide valuable insights and serve as a useful tool in understanding the basic principles of smell perception in humans.

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