¿Cómo funciona el sentido del olfato? - Los sentidos para niños
How Does the Sense of Smell Work?
Introduction to Olfactory Function
- The sense of smell involves detecting odors, which are chemical particles present in the air.
- These particles travel through the air and enter the nose via the nostrils into the nasal cavity.
Mechanism of Smell
- In the nasal cavity, tiny hairs warm and filter the air; this area is lined with a mucous membrane that keeps it moist.
- Filtered air then passes to the olfactory membrane, where specialized cells collect information and send it to the olfactory nerve.
Processing Smells in the Brain
- The olfactory nerve transmits signals to the brain, which interprets these signals and initiates appropriate reactions based on different smells.
- For example, if a burnt smell is detected, individuals will seek out its source for safety.
Comparison with Animal Senses