receptor organ that makes the sense of smell possible is called the olfactory
epithelium,and it is located high in the nose. It is to smell what the retina is to
vision. Several kinds of neurons differentially sensitive to chemicals in gaseous
forms induce the various smell sensations.
The exact number and kind of basic smell sensations, unlike the four basic
taste sensations, are somewhat debatable. Nonetheless, it is possible to identify a
number of elemental sensations. Putridis one of them; it is the smell of something
rotting or decomposing. Blossoms and blooms have a floralodor. A smell that is
sharp or acrid, such as that produced by burning food, is said to be pungent.Cin-
namon or cloves are said to have a smell that is spicy.The wood and bark of the
camphor tree have a penetrating, fragrant odor. Camphor is also obtained by syn-
thesis and is used in some medicines. The odor is described simply as camphoric.
(a) The sense of smell is also known as.
(b) The receptor organ that makes smell possible is called the.
Answers: (a) olfaction; (b) olfactory epithelium.
Kinesthesis: Can You Touch the Tip of Your Nose
with Your Eyes Closed?
If you cantouch the tip of your nose with your eyes closed, as most people can, you
have an intact sense of kinesthesis. Kinesthesis,also known as proprioception,
is the capacity to know the position in space of various parts of your body. (The
term proprioceptionis related to the word “property.” Your body belongs to you—
it’s your property.) Close your eyes and lift or lower a single finger. You know
where it is at all times. When you walk you can sense the position of your legs even
if you’re not looking at them. Pianists and dancers rely heavily on kinesthesis.
The receptor neurons for kinesthesis are located in the connective tissue sur-
rounding the body’s joints as well as within the joints themselves.
(a) Kinesthesis is also known as.
(b) Kinesthesis is the capacity to know the position in space of.
Answers: (a) proprioception; (b) various parts of your body.
The Sense of Balance: Walking in an Upright Position
The sense of balance informs you that you are walking in an upright position. What
you are sensing is the relationship of your body, and in particular your head, to the
Earth’s gravitational field. The sense of balance is made possible by receptor neurons
Sensation: Studying the Gateways of Experience 53
