Suggest a simple experiment to prove the role of palate in recognizing taste. (AS3)

Aim: To prove the role of palate in recognizing taste.

Materials required: Sugar, stop watch

Procedure:

a) Take some sugar crystals and put them on the surface of the tongue, keeping the mouth open so that the tongue doesn’t touch the palate.

b) Using stopwatch, record the time from the moment of placing the sugar on the tongue till the moment of recognizing the taste.

c) Note down the observations.

d) Repeat the experiment again, this time pressing the tongue against the palate and note down the observations.

Observations:

We will have observed that on pressing the tongue firmly against the palate, we recognize the taste quicker and more easily.

Explanation:

This is so because the tongue consists of tiny papillae with openings. Inside the openings, there are hundreds of taste sensitive cells. When the food is placed on the tongue, the food particles dissolve into the saliva and enter the openings. By pressing the tongue against the palate, we ensure the dissolved food getting into the openings quicker and hence we can taste the food much quickly and easily.

Result: Hence proved the role of palate in recognizing the taste.