My 6-year-old daughter asked me why she can't feel the air on her skin when she stands still, but she can feel it when it's windy or when she hangs her arm out of a car window. She already knows about molecules and whatnot, but I don't know how to answer this.
2006-06-29 08:11:21 · 6 answers · asked by Nobody 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Thanks to all--lots of great answers!!
2006-06-30 00:48:24 · update #1
Atmospheric pressure is (close enough to) constant from all directions. So, it weighs down on each nerve ending with the same force. That creates a neutrality, so to speak, and you don't feel anything. The same can be said of water in a swimming pool.. you don't feel it unless you and the water are in relative motion.
2006-06-29 08:15:58 · answer #1 · answered by bequalming 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Every square inch of our skin have touch receptors... some touch receptors needs constant stimulation or long stimulation to emit impulse to your brain... on the base of your skin hair there are numerous receptors... when moving air particles and impurities bump the hair skin and activates receptors... when ur still you cant feel almost anything coz air is not moving... hope i answered ur question
2006-06-29 15:17:46 · answer #2 · answered by Ron 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is because of a process called adaptation or desensitization.
When exposed to a stimulus for a prolonged period the response of the neurons to it decreases so that you can detect new ones or changes in it. Otherwise they would be overwhelmed by the amount of info and would also be unable to detect very small changes in the stimulus.
Since we are constantly exposed to air, our body adapts to it and doesn't "feel" it when it's constant but senses its changes.
2006-06-30 07:00:12 · answer #3 · answered by bellerophon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't feel the air when it is not moving because every inch our body are being compressed by the weight of the air and gases surrounding us. There fore, not allowing our body to know there is a change, unless we or the pressure is moving.
2006-06-29 17:41:53 · answer #4 · answered by Dave 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when its windy you feel it because of astronomic pressure on your skin especially when you go against hard blowing wind. the reason why she cant feel the wind on her skin when she stands still is because if you stand still and don't move a muscle then you don't feel anything.
2006-06-29 15:20:46 · answer #5 · answered by Sam Winchester 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We can not see everything, something can only be feel.
Fresh air is colourless, odourless and tasteless.
We can see only coloured object.
2006-06-29 15:20:53 · answer #6 · answered by pushpam 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋