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Daveman20
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Do substances radiate particles? Is it the wind brushing up the surface particles of the substance? Do dense materials usually have less smell?
Daveman20 said:Do substances radiate particles? Is it the wind brushing up the surface particles of the substance? Do dense materials usually have less smell?
Mapes said:All solids and liquids evaporate material constantly, yes, though the amount can vary by many orders of magnitude between a volatile liquid and a dense solid. And your intuition is correct, denser materials generally evaporate vapor at a smaller rate (ice cubes will disappear from your freezer in weeks, but a chunk of iron will stick around for a long, long, time). But the ability of the nose to detect specific molecules is another factor.
Our sense of smell is triggered by tiny odor molecules that float through the air and enter our noses. These molecules bind to receptors located in the olfactory epithelium, a small patch of tissue high in the nasal cavity.
When an odor molecule binds to a receptor, it triggers a series of chemical reactions that send an electrical signal to the olfactory bulb in the brain. From there, the signal is relayed to other areas of the brain involved in processing smell, such as the amygdala and the hippocampus.
Each odor molecule has a unique shape and size, which allows it to bind to specific receptors in the nose. Different combinations of odor molecules binding to different receptors create a unique pattern of electrical signals that our brain interprets as a specific scent.
Yes, our sense of smell can change over time. As we age, our olfactory receptors may become less sensitive, leading to a decreased sense of smell. Additionally, certain medications, illnesses, and environmental factors can also affect our sense of smell.
Animals have a much larger olfactory epithelium and more olfactory receptors than humans, allowing them to detect a wider range of odor molecules. They also have a secondary olfactory system, called the vomeronasal organ, which is specifically designed to detect pheromones and other chemical signals.