tongue
Definition
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth that is involved in taste, speech, and swallowing. It is also involved in the production of saliva.
The tongue is made up of skeletal muscle, which is attached to the hyoid bone in the neck. It is covered in a thin layer of mucous membrane, which contains taste buds, blood vessels, and nerves.
The tongue is divided into two parts: the anterior two-thirds and the posterior one-third. The anterior two-thirds is responsible for taste and speech. The posterior one-third is responsible for swallowing.
The tongue is covered in taste buds, which are small bumps that contain cells that can detect different flavours. There are five basic flavours: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
The tongue also helps us to speak. It helps to form words by moving the sounds around in our mouths.
The tongue also helps us to swallow. It pushes food down our throats and into our stomachs.
The tongue is an important organ that helps us to enjoy food, communicate, and stay healthy.
How can the word be used?
The little girl stuck out her tongue at her brother.
Different forms of the word
Noun:
a fleshy movable muscular process of the floor of the mouths of most vertebrates that bears sensory end organs and small glands and functions especially in taking and swallowing food and in humans as a speech organ.
- a language or dialect.
- a person's power of speech.
- a style or manner of speaking.
- a piece of land or water that projects into a larger area.
Verb:
- to speak or utter indistinctly.
- to lick or lap.
- to protrude or extend like a tongue.
Etymology
The word "tongue" comes from the Old English word "tunge", which is also the root of the word "language".
The first recorded use of the word "tongue" in English was in the 8th century.
The word "tongue" is a Germanic word, and it is related to the German word "Zunge" and the Dutch word "tong".
Question
What is your tongue used for?
AQA Science Exam Question and Answer
Question:
Explain the role of the tongue in the process of taste perception. Describe how taste buds and their sensory receptors contribute to the sense of taste. Provide an example of how the sense of taste can influence dietary choices.
Answer:
The tongue plays a central role in the process of taste perception, allowing us to experience different flavours. Taste buds, which are small structures located on the tongue's surface, contain sensory receptors responsible for detecting different tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami.
When we consume food, molecules from the food interact with these taste receptors. For instance, molecules that trigger a sweet taste bind to the sweet receptors on taste bud cells, sending signals to the brain that are interpreted as sweetness. The same principle applies to the other taste sensations.
An example of how the sense of taste influences dietary choices is the preference for sweet and salty flavours. Humans naturally have a preference for these tastes, which can be traced back to our evolutionary history when sweet foods indicated a safe source of energy and salt signalled essential mineral intake.
This preference, however, can impact dietary choices. Foods high in added sugars and salt are often favoured, leading to overconsumption and potential health issues. Recognising the role of the tongue in taste perception can encourage individuals to make more balanced dietary decisions, considering not only taste but also nutritional value.
The intricate relationship between the tongue's taste receptors and our perception of flavours underscores the complexity of our sensory experiences and how they can impact our dietary habits and overall well-being.