Sensitivity

Touch Human senses - touch

Fact file

Skin is covered with different types of receptor cells. Each type of receptor cell picks up a different feeling - pressure, pain, and temperature (hot and cold).
When the receptor cells are activated they send electrical impulses that pass to the brain. The brain processes these impulses and we 'feel' what is around us.
Our sense of touch varies on different areas of our bodies. Our fingertips are very sensitive to touch - the skin on our fingertips contains many receptor cells.

Activity:

Some parts of our body are more sensitive than others. Pair up with a friend - make sure their eyes are shut or they are blindfolded. Using a ball point pen, lightly touch the skin on their arm. While still blindfolded, ask them to touch the same point with a different coloured pen. Do the two points match up? Test this on different areas of their body - do your results vary? Why do you think this is?

Test your senses!

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