Lesson 13

Lesson Objectives...

• Read scientific texts adapted for classroom use to determine how the molecular structure of different substances (patterns) is related to their odor, how those molecules reach our nose (cause), and how those molecules interact with different sensory receptors there that each cause a different signal to travel through our nerve cells that leads to the perception of different scents (effect).

Resources for Lesson 13...

Odor Lab - Molecular Models of Different Substances...

Reading - How do we detect odors?...

What we figured out this lesson...

• Odor is a property of a substance, that is determined by the number, type, and arrangement of atoms that make up that substance.

• Molecules of substances must travel into our nose in order for us to detect an odor from them.

• Our nose has many different cells that each have different structures (sensory receptors for odor) that different shaped molecules can fit into, which will cause that cell to send a signal to other nerve cells that relay that signal to our brain.

• The perception of different scents is the result of the combination of signals that the brain receives from these different nerve cells.