Sensory Adaptation
Learn how the nerves in our body adapt and learn to respond to constant stimulus.
What You Need
- 3 bowls or containers (big enough to fit your hands in)
- Water
- Timer or clock
Guide:
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe virtual outreach to youth.
What To Do
- Fill the first bowl half full of cold water (or ice water if you have it).
- Fill the second bowl half full of water that is as warm/hot as you can stand, but not hot enough to burn yourself (test the water beforehand).
- Fill the third bowl half full with room temperature water.
- Arrange the three bowls in a straight line.
- Put one hand in the cold water and the other in the warm/hot water. Leave your hands in the water for at least one minute.
- As fast as you can, place both hands in the room-temperature water at the same time.
- What happened?
- What temperature do you feel with your right hand?
- How about your left hand?
Discovery
The nerves in our body can adapt and learn to respond to a constant stimulus. This is called sensory adaptation or neural adaptation. The nerves in one of your hands was in the cold water and got used to the temperature. The nerves in your other hand got used to a warm temperature. Both hands adapted to different temperatures and you got used to them. But when you moved your hands into the room temperature water the message or signal sent from the nerves in your hands to your brain got delayed. That is why your hands felt different temperatures even through they were both in the room temperature water!
Guide:
What's Happening?
The nerves in our body can adapt and learn to respond to a constant stimulus. This is called sensory adaptation or neural adaptation. The nerves in one of your hands was in the cold water and got used to the temperature. The nerves in your other hand got used to a warm temperature. Both hands adapted to different temperatures and you got used to them. But when you moved your hands into the room temperature water the message or signal sent from the nerves in your hands to your brain got delayed. That is why your hands felt different temperatures even through they were both in the room temperature water!