Fun Fact Physics

Did You Know Humans Can Sense Protons?

By: Mahnoor Farooqi - Researcher

Many people love the sour taste brought by candies and fruits. Were you aware that part of this taste is actually protons?

H+ ions have an atomic mass of 1 meaning there are no neutrons and the ionic charge of +1 means it contains no electrons. That means it is purely a proton. These ions can be found in abundance in sour foods.

The acidic nature of H+ ions causes the sour taste which is perceived by specialised taste receptors - Type III cells known as proton channels. These send a message to our brains causing us to experience the sour taste!