Hey guys can u tel me what's a smell?

Question

we know light is a bunch of photons, sound is a wave. but what exactly is smell and how can we feel it?

Answer 1

Molecules which are in the air bind to specific receptors on the cell membrane of cells in your nose. Upon binding, a cascade of enzymatic reactions is triggered which leads to signaling to your neurons and brain and thus "sensing" the smell of that substance. The more volatile the substance the more air-borne molecules you'll have so the more intense the smell, provided that these molecules can bind to the receptor. E.g. hydrogen which is a gas cannot bind to the receptors so even if there is plenty of it around you will not smell it (but if you light a match there will be a big explosion)

Answer 2

Smell is composed of small little particle which happen to trigger stuff in your nose...and how you can feel it? well you can't feel it, feel it. Unless you put your hand where someone farts then maybe , but if you are asking how can you sense the smell....well above your nasal cavity opining in your nose there are these receptors from Oldfactory nerve 3, rellay the gasinformation to the brain while the gas particles are being directed to the brain and tell it if its good or bad...dats why when you put gas mask on patients before surgery they pass out since the gas or air particles go directly from your nasal caivty opeining into your brain area....also on the side information...Suppose when we taste a fruit and its ripe and old, then we tend to remember that taste of it at the time with what we smelled and that information gets saved into our brain So when you next time you smell the same fruit you will remember how what smeel means what type of a taste....but yea in general Smell are made up of small particles who together travel like gasses.

Answer 3

Hi dear tanya
In most mammals, the nose is the primary organ for smelling. As the animal sniffs, the air flows through the nose and over structures called turbinates in the nasal cavity. The turbulence caused by this disruption slows the air and directs it toward the olfactory epithelium. At the surface of the olfactory epithelium, odor molecules carried by the air contact olfactory receptor neurons which transduce the features of the molecule into electrical impulses in the brain.

Answer 4

Vapours of molecules which are sensed by our sensory organ (olfactory in the nose). Smell could be good or bad!

Answer 5

It is matter (molecules or aerosol or dust) floating around in the air.

Answer 6

It is matter (molecules or aerosol or dust) floating around in the air.

Answer 7

Smell is a god gift and we can jsut feel it through our sensory organ(nose). It doesn't need a brief description.

Answer 8

It's nothing but feelings of the nose.

Answer 9

smell is a sense just like light you can see it but cannot touch it , smell is something that is sweet or stinky to that sense just because you cannot touch it that doesnot need it isn't there--aka- a fart