Greetings, it's Tania, back to answer some of your yuckiest science questions. Behind every gross question is some great science, so let the ickiness begin!
A boy blows his nose
Photo credit: Bernardo Emanuelle/Shutterstock
Aislin, Camiyah, and many others asked: Why do we have snot?
Snot is mucus, the gooey slime that coats our noses and keeps them moist and healthy. But mucus is also a mighty bodyguard. Every time we inhale through our nose, sticky snot snares dust, dirt, germs, and other nasty particles and keeps them from damaging our delicate lungs.
Ryan and Victor asked: Why do we burp?
Our lungs welcome air, but our stomachs are less hospitable. So when air arrives in our tummies, it is shoved back out the door—our mouths.
Air can enter our stomachs in multiple ways. If we chat while we chew, then we'll swallow some air during our meals. We can also take in air if we eat too swiftly, slurp our soup, or sip through a straw. Plus, fizzy drinks are filled with bubbles, so with every sip, we swig loads of gas.
As the stomach pummels our food, it pushes the unwelcome gas up and back out our mouth, and then brrrap, we burp.
A girl holds her nose and looks disgusted
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Tejas, Isabella, and many others asked: Why do we pass gas?
Everybody passes gas. About 14 times every day, in fact, our bodies get rid of unwanted gas from our gut. But where does it come from?
Some of it is air we swallowed that never got burped and had to find another way out. But the rest of our gas is created by a source that lurks deep inside us.
After our stomachs mash our food, that mush enters our intestines where, surprise, trillions of bacteria live! These indispensable little lifeforms munch on the mush and make a bunch of vitamins and nutrients that our bodies require. But they also make lots of gas. Too much gas can be painful for us, so to release the pressure, our intestines push that gas right out.
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A sweaty boy on a soccer field drinks water from a bottle
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Shyheim, Kayla, and many others asked: Why do we sweat?
When it's hot outside or we are moving our muscles, our bodies warm up. To keep from overheating, our brain triggers tiny sacs of water inside our skin, called sweat glands, to squeeze the water out. Each drop of water that pours out our pores absorbs some heat, turns into gas, and floats away, taking the heat with it. So the more we perspire, the more heat is taken away from us, and we cool down. Ahhhhh.
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A boy holds a pair of dirty sneakers at arm's length and holds his nose
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Mia asked: Why do feet smell?
Beneficial germs live on our skin, eating oils, dead skin, and sweat. Dirty, sweaty feet are a feast for these little friends. The more they gorge, the more stinky gas they give off, and then our feet can reek.
Have you ever thought someone's feet smelled like cheese? That's because one type of bacteria that live on our feet is also used to make the softest, stickiest cheeses.
A teenager holds her hand over her mouth
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Denise asked: Why does breath smell bad in the morning?
Myriad germs camp in our mouths where they do the same thing as their gut and skin cousins—munch and make gas.
If we haven't brushed, flossed, and rinsed before bed, then these bacteria have a party all night devouring any food they find in our mouths. Our morning yawns are then filled with foul gas made by these germs plus the fumes from putrid food.
Until next time, stay curious!
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That's all the gross science questions for now! Remember, behind every yucky question is some fascinating science. Stay curious and keep asking those questions.
QUESTION 1
QUESTION 1 OF 4
1 / 4
Think about the article. What makes our feet stink?
A.Germs living on the skin give off gases that smell bad.
B.Oils and sweat on the skin give off gases that smell bad.
C.Gases that smell bad pour out of our pores and float away.
D.Gases that smell bad protect our feet from germs, dust, and dirt.
A. Germs living on the skin give off gases that smell bad.
QUESTION 2
QUESTION 2 OF 4
2 / 4
Read this passage from the article:
To keep from overheating, our brain triggers tiny sacs of water inside our skin, called sweat glands, to squeeze the water out. Each drop of water that pours out our pores absorbs some heat, turns into gas, and floats away, taking the heat with it.
The author's purpose for writing this passage was to __________.
A.describe how skin overheats
B.describe how water turns into gas
C.explain how sweat cools us off
D.explain how gas floats awa
C. explain how sweat cools us off.
QUESTION 3
QUESTION 3 OF 4
3 / 4
Based on the article, which is true about snot?
A.Snot is mucus that keeps dirt and germs from damaging our stomachs.
B.Snot is mucus that snares the germs that create bad odors when we breathe.
C.Snot is mucus that keeps dirt and germs from damaging our lungs.
D.Snot is mucus that makes the beneficial germs that keep our noses healthy.
C. Snot is mucus that keeps dirt and germs from damaging our lungs.
QUESTION 4
QUESTION 4 OF 4
4 / 4
Which is the closest synonym for the word indispensable, as it is used in the article?
A.vital
B.vivid
C.efficient
D.explosive