The Tongue Test (61 Brilliant Biology Experiments)

You will need:

1. Marker
2. 5 paper cups
3. Water
4. Sugar
5. Salt
6. Lime
7. Soya sauce
8. Cold strong black coffee
9. Q-tips
10. Tablespoon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Create your 5 test solutions. The first is a
   sugar solution. Dissolve 2 tablespoonfuls of
   sugar in ¼ cup of water in a paper cup (marked ‘Sweet’).
2. For the second paper cup
   (marked ‘Salty’) mix 2
   tablespoonfuls of salt in ¼
   cup of water.
3. For the third cup (marked ‘Sour’)
   mix 2 tablespoonfuls of lime juice in ¼ cup of water.
4. For the fourth cup (marked ‘Umami’) pour 2
   tablespoonfuls of soya sauce in the cup.
5. For the fifth cup (marked ‘Bitter’)
   pour ¼ cup of cold strong black coffee
   in the cup.
6. Showing your friends the diagram below,
   ask them each to dip a Q-tip in the
   sweet solution and dab it on the 4
   spots on their tongues.
7. Record which area in their mouths they found the sweetest.
8. Repeat the experiment with fresh Q-tips each time, for
   salty, sour, umami and bitter.
9. Note down your observations.

RESULT

Recent studies show us that while the tip area of the tongue experiences
sweet foods the best, the sides of the tongue experience salty. Further back,
the taste buds on the side of the tongue experience sour foods, while bitter
foods taste the sharpest in the area all the way at the back of the tongue.