2006-11-09 02:53:28 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
tears are not as salty as sea water...
2006-11-09 03:16:21 · answer #1 · answered by fairly smart 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's because the salt content is diluted. However, tears can sting if a person is dehydrated or if they've been crying for a long stretch of time (know this first hand). If the balance of water to saline is tipped just slightly in the other direction than your tears will sting.
2006-11-09 10:57:58 · answer #2 · answered by Big Blue 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's the same as the salt found in your sweat, in a way your body filters the salt you intake or sodium more often the salt in foods, it's from your body so it's been filtered and the harsh part will come out of the body while the salty taste on tears isn't as potent as the salt you digest, you bodies filtered it. You body needs X amount of salt everything else is flushed out it's access-waste.
2006-11-09 10:56:44 · answer #3 · answered by Juleette 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because there is only a minute amount of sodium in tear drops. I suppose tears are designed to flush out our eyes without stinging them! If they did sting, I'd permanently be walking around with closed red puffy eyes!!
2006-11-09 10:56:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Throwing salt into someone's eye results in a solution with a much higher concentration of salt than is found in tears. Although tears contain salt, they also cotain a complex system of other dissolved substances, and the influx of salt upsets this balance and requires cleansing. In addition, the salt in tears is dissolved in solution, while salt thrown in the eye is a granular irritant.
2006-11-09 10:54:16 · answer #5 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it all has to do with concentration....like when you have a salty soup, you add more liquid, and suddenly, it's no longer salty...same premise, your tears contain nowhere near enough salt to sting, yet pure salt obviously does
Steve
2006-11-09 10:56:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think tears DO sting, but of course the salt level is low, maybe they get saltier as they run down your cheeks?
2006-11-13 10:14:19 · answer #7 · answered by SUPER-GLITCH 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I was a teenager we spent a lot of time swimming in the sea, and never used goggles, being able to open our eyes under water with no problem.
2006-11-09 11:02:41 · answer #8 · answered by Ray P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a HUGE difference between body salts and refined table salt.
2006-11-09 10:54:50 · answer #9 · answered by shoby_shoby2003 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it is diluted in our tears. Fully concentrated salt melts ice; i'll bet tears can't do that!
2006-11-09 10:55:09 · answer #10 · answered by Joe Somebody 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
tears are salty?? i thought that was only sweat.....which by the way stings like hell if it gets into your eyes
2006-11-09 10:55:14 · answer #11 · answered by dirty n 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋