Nicholas Academy


Custom Search
Share



Science | Science Experiments | 297 - The Science of Spit

Saliva Salivary Glands Mucus Membrane Glucose

 
 

This Week's Experiment - #297 The Science of Spit

This week's experiment comes from our cat, Mawra. She is a delightful cat, but when she is very happy, she drools. She was happily sitting in my lap while I was thinking of topics for this week's experiment. That's when it hit me. (Literally) Saliva! To learn more about spit, you will need:

a saltine cracker

If you don't have a plain saltine, you can use a piece of bread. First, rub all the salt off the cracker. We are trying to taste a very faint flavor, and the salt will overpower it.

Once you have removed the salt, put the cracker in your mouth and start chewing. Pay close attention to the taste. Very crackery, right? Now comes the hard part. Do not swallow the cracker. Just keep chewing and chewing. I found that it helps to pretend that it is chewing gum. Pay close attention to the flavor. After a minute or two of chewing, you should start to notice a slight sweet taste. The longer you chew it; the sweeter it will taste. It will not taste as sweet as candy by a long shot, but you should get enough sweetness to detect.

Why does the cracker begin to taste sweet? It has to do with your saliva. Saliva is the scientific term for spit, and it is very useful stuff. When you eat, your saliva moistens your food to help it go down easier, but it does more than just that. It contains an enzyme called amylase. Amylase changes the starch in your food into sugar. That is a good thing, because the starch molecules are too large to pass through the membrane around your cells. If it can't get into the cells of your body, it does not do you any good. Amylase breaks the starch molecules apart into molecules of glucose. Glucose is a kind of sugar, and its molecules are small enough to move through the cell membrane so your body can use it.

Saliva really is interesting stuff. It comes from salivary glands located in various parts of your mouth. It is about 99% water, with a little mucus to make it slippery and a trace of Amylase. Even that tiny trace of amylase can break down a lot of starch. If you have a jar of banana or sweet potato baby food, put a drop of saliva into the jar and put it into the refrigerator overnight. It needs to be a very starchy kind of food, not meat or green vegetables. By the next day, the baby food will be pretty much liquefied. The one drop of saliva digested the entire thing. Of course, you produce more than a few drops of saliva. The average person produces and swallows 1 to 1.5 liters of spit per day. Think about that while you eat another cracker. Have a great week.

These experiments are from Robert Krampf - The Happy Scientist


Science Experiments Index
211 - 220 221 - 230 231 - 240 241 - 250
251 - 260 261 - 270 271 - 280 281 - 290
291 - 300 301 - 310 311 - 320 321 - 330
331 - 340 341 - 350 351 - 360 361 - 370


Education Posters at AllPosters.com | Clearance Posters


Custom Search

Share



Nicholas Academy Index

Printables

Roman numerals, addition, multiplication, order of statehood, state and world capitals, order of presidents, chemical elements, parts of speech, spanish numbers.

Creativity

Explore animation, filmmaking, build online cities, create and share works of art, write stories, create your own web site, read creativity articles.

Math

Math games, quizzes, fun websites, printable charts, coloring books, tools. Algebra, geometry, fractions, multiplication.

Science

Science games and quizzes, fun science websites, posters, coloring books, experiments, forensics labs and more.

Language Arts

Play language arts games, improve your vocabulary, create customized puzzles, make your own book! Download free software in the form of shareware, freeware, and demos.

Music

Play music games, take free music lessons, explore music theory and history, find great posters.

Exercises

Test your knowledge with these fast, fun, and educational quizzes. Roman numeral addition, world capitals, presidents in order, the elements, world flags, and more.

Website Building

Templates, ideas for personal, educational, children's, business sites, design tips and tools, registration and hosting information, step-by-step instructions, quick and easy web page, web building just for kids.

Social Studies

Coloring books, countries of the world, games and quizzes, software downloads, posters, computer jigsaw puzzles, printables.

Science Experiments

Science can be fun and understandable. Free Experiment of the Week, featuring experiments that are unusual, safe, dramatic, cheap, and fun. From Robert Kramp's Science Education Co.

Courses

Online, via email or through the regular mail. College, accredited high school, free reading and phonics courses, foreign language, history, religion, and more.

Foreign Language

Arabic, German, Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, Latin, Russian. Games, free software downloads, free online lessons, newspapers, discussion groups, articles, history, culture, quizzes.

Educational Coloring Books

Coloring books for kids and adults. Civil war, plants, animals, states, middle ages, cultures, geometric designs, puzzles.

Space Items for Kids

Fun and affordable space items for kids, including toys, games, food products, and more.

Bargain Books

New and used low cost books and textbooks. Websites with open source books and loan programs.

Middle Age & Renaissance

Artists, wars, armour, castle games, recipes, geography, quizzes, fashions, pictures of weapons, music, old world maps, women of medieval times, medicine, language, and more.

Useful Tools

Reading systems, loan programs, flashcard, worksheet and test makers, game creators, board games, percentage calculator, puzzle creator, timeline template.

Testing & Assessment

SAT, GED, ACT, practice tests, exam preparation. Standardized test practice, content standards listed by state, sample items, scope and sequence, aptitude, essential skills.

Educational Posters

Parts of speech, civil rights, medieval, periodic table of elements, music, astronomy, world maps with flags, literature, poetry, biology,

Freebies & Bargains

Books, posters, videos, software, curriculum, courses. Save on teaching supplies, receive free educational materials.



If you have comments, questions, or would like to report a broken link,
please send an email to Cheryl at nicholas230@yahoo.com

© 2000-2011 Nicholas Academy
Nicholas Academy Site Map
privacy policy