Why Does Tongue Resistance Change When Measured with a Multimeter?

[bos1234]

I recenlty bought a very cheap multimeter for $10.

I switched the multimeter to ohms 2000k and stuck the probes on my tongue. The initial value was 400k and rapidly increased until it exceeded 2000k for which my multimeter cannot read.

Then I dried the tip of my tongue completely and probed it again. Now the readings increase much slower and sometimes even drop at certain stages.

My question
1. Why is the resistance not constant? I read it should be stable at 50k
2. And why my otngue is dry why is the rate of resistance slower?

Is something wrong with the MM?

 

[n.karthick]

If your aim is to check the working of your multimeter, why can't you measure a known resistance and cross check the values. Why i am saying this is, one cannot be sure about resistance of tongue or any thing like that.

 

[lenfromkits]

I suspect that maybe once your hair was all standing perfectly straight up, the resistance started to stabilize. Depending on how much hair gel you use, the 2nd time you tried, it was already standing up so it didn't vary as much. You might just have to try a higher voltage. Perhaps using a the 2 wires from an outlet? :)

Sorry ... couldn't resist. :) It was just funny hearing about sticking electrical wires on your tongue. I agree with n.karthick that your tongue is not a stable resistor. How well it conducts completely depends on how wet/dry it is plus how hard you push the wires onto it and I imagine even the shape of it could affect it (which changes from moment to moment).

 

[AJ Bentley]

Saliva is acid.
When you stick metal in acid all sorts of interesting electrochemical things happen. It depends on what the metal is and what the acid is and it's concentration plus any other currents and voltages that might be in the circuit (The battery in your meter.)

Try tasting the terminals of a small battery (and I mean SMALL)

 

[sardar]

I would like to provide a few explanations for the observations you have made. Firstly, the resistance of the tongue is not constant because the tongue is a muscle and it can contract and relax, causing changes in its electrical properties. Additionally, the moisture on the tongue can also affect the resistance. When the tongue is wet, it acts as a better conductor of electricity, resulting in a lower resistance. However, when the tongue is dry, the resistance increases as there is less moisture to conduct electricity.

Moreover, the rate of change in resistance can also be affected by the sensitivity of the multimeter and the accuracy of its readings. Different multimeters have varying levels of sensitivity and accuracy, which can result in different readings. It is also important to note that the readings on the multimeter may not be completely accurate as it is a cheap model.

In conclusion, the resistance of the tongue is not constant and can be affected by factors such as moisture, muscle movement, and the accuracy of the measuring instrument. It is always important to consider these factors when conducting experiments and interpreting results.