GAC013 Assessment Event 1: Scientific Report

Does our sense of touch differ on different parts of the body?

Name: Tsamara Alifia Student ID #: Teacher: Nerissa Puntawe Due Date: March 4th 2013 Word Count: 1,418 (included references)

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Tsamara Alifia

Table of Contents
Abstract ........................................................................ 2 Introduction .................................................................. 2 Research methods ........................................................ 2 Materials: .................................................................. 2 Methods:................................................................... 2 Result ........................................................................ 3. 4 Discussion ................................................................. 4, 5 Conclusion & recommendation ................................... 5 References .................................................................... 6 Appendices ............................................................... 5, 6

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Abstract
This report is to prove that the sense of touch differs on different parts of the body. The subjects for the experiments were 20 students from my school with the range of age from 14 to 17. The research was implemented by poking the material I prepared to four parts of the subjects body, which was head, neck, ear, and finger. My hypothesis is that neck is the most sensitive part of the body because its one of the erogenous zones and located near the brain. The final result is a little bit different with my hypothesis due to the different distribution of touch receptors of the body.

1.0 Introduction
The skin and other body parts have all different kinds of receptor and cells in each body parts, meaning the sensory cells and touch receptors determine the sensitiveness and feeling of our body. My hypothesis is that the sense of touch differs on the body parts because the sensory cell is different in each part. In my opinion, neck, as one of the erogenous zones which sensitive to sexual stimulation, is the most sensitive part of the body. I am testing my hypothesis by collecting the accurate data by doing the experiment.

2.0

Materials and Methods

Materials: 1. 20 students 2. Pencil 3. Paper Methods: 1. Prepare the materials for this experiment 2. Ask students permission to do the experiment, and explain the purpose and the methods. 3. Poke four different parts of the samples body. (Head, neck, finger, and ear). 4. Observe the reaction of each subject. 5. Ask the subjects which one is the most sensitive part of the body when theyre being touched and ask them which to give a scale from 1 4. 6. Note the data on the paper. 7. Repeat the experiment to get accurate results. 8. Make the charts and tables to analyze the results. Scale 1 stands for the most sensitive part and so on. By asking the level of sensitiveness by the scale of one to four, I can calculate the total score and make the table. This methodology supported me to determine which parts of the body would be the most sensitive part.

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3.0
No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Result
Science Investigation Name Gilang Devan Alifa Kartika Izzuwan Mutiara Yova Tsubasa Revan Vito Ricky Putri Novi Charen Leo Catrine Ikhsan Charissa Charen Reno Head 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Part of the body Finger 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 Ear 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 Neck 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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The graphs and the table show us that people have different sensitivity level. The graph also shows us that neck is the most sensitive part. There are only one out of 20 students who thinks ear is more sensitive than neck. 11 out of 20 students thinks that ear is the 2nd most sensitive part, while 9 out of 20 thinks that finger is the 2nd most sensitive part. Based on the experiment, the most insensitive part is finger and head. 11 out of 20 students thinks that finger is the 3rd most sensitive part, while 8 out of 20 students answered ear and the remaining answered neck. All of the students think that head is the most insensitive part, and put it on the last of the scale.

4.0

Discussion

The hypothesis was correct, even though there was one student who answered differently from my hypothesis. According to my experiment, all the different body parts have different sense due to the distribution of the receptors and the density of the cell are different in each body part. I cant say that this experiment is 100 percent accurate, because I only did the experiment with a small amount of people with the same range of age and with the same material. The result might be different from my hypothesis if I do it with larger amount of people and different range of age or with different materials. The sense of touch between teenagers is different with elder people. With the difference, we can compare the data and get new results. Our skin is composed of several layers, which are epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. The very top layer is the epidermis. Epidermis is waterproof and has a function as a protective wrap for the underlying skin layers and the rest of the body. It is made of dead skin cells and contains melanin. Melanin protects the underlying skin layers against the suns harmful rays and also gives us skin color. When we are in the sun, our melanin will builds up to increase its protective properties, causing our skin to be darkened. That is why we got tan after playing under the sun. The epidermis part also contains very sensitive touch receptors, the cells that give the brain a variety of information about the surrounding or environment the body is in. Somatosensory system, the system that responsible for all the sensations we feel cold, hot, smooth, rough, tickle, pain, and more is located in the dermis. Dermis is the second layer of skin and contains hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels, nerve endings, and a variety of touch receptors. Nerve endings carry the information to the spinal cord and send the messages to the brain where the feeling is registered. The experiment shows that head has the least number of sensory nerves, and the sensitivity level doesnt depend on the distance from the brain. Head is where your brain located, but it is the most insensitive part. Ear is also located near the brain, but one out of twenty subjects answered that neck is more sensitive than ear. Neck is the most sensitive part of the body because it is rich with sensory nerve endings. Its also

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unprotected by muscles and has soft tissues. Tongue, eyelids and fingers are also rich of nerve endings, but fingers are more exposed to external things than neck, head and ears. We use fingers to touch and feel something, and our fingers got used to it. Its the same like blacksmith who got used to touch hot metals than us who cant even stand to hold hot cups more than 2 minutes. Its also the same like boxers who got used with punches and have thicker and stronger skin than us. Thats the reason why fingers have less sensitivity than neck. Neck is rarely exposed and for female, their hair covers their neck part. This also means that the most used body parts have less sensitivity than the other body parts that rarely used.

5.0

Conclusion

As a result of my experiment, it is confirmed that the sense of touch differs on different parts of the body. This experiment shows us that the neck is the most sensitive part among the others, followed by ear, finger, and head as the most insensitive part of the body. More sensory nerve endings means more sensitive the body parts will be. Also, the sensitive level of the body parts doesnt depend on its distance with the brain. The last, the most used body parts have less sensitivity than the other body parts that rarely used.

6.0

Recommendation

1. Do the experiment more than once to get accurate result. 2. Try to do the experiment with more than one group of people and different material. 3. Do the experiment with people with the same condition because people react differently when they are sick, tired, or sleepy. 4. Make sure they are not wearing anything that will block the body parts that we are going to test.

7.0

Appendices
The most sensitive part of the body The 2nd most sensitive part of the body
12 10 8

20 15 10 5 0 Head Neck Ear Finger

6 4 2 0 Head Neck Ear Finger

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The 3rd most sensitive part of the body

12 10 15 8 6 4 2 0 Head Neck Ear Finger 0 10 5 20

The least sensitive part of the body

Head

Neck

Ear

Finger

1 Head Neck Ear Finger 0 19 1 0 Head Neck Ear Finger

2 0 0 11 9 Head Neck Ear Finger

3 0 1 8 11 Head Neck Ear Finger

4 20 0 0 0

8.0

References
Anissimov, Michael. How Does the Sense of Touch Work? Wise Geek. Wise Geek, 1 May 2012. Web. 7 July 2012. Kale, Sailee. How Does the Sense of Touch Work in Humans. Buzzle.com. Buzzle.com, 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 7 July 2012. Leonard, Crystal. The Sense of Touch and How It Affects Development. Serendip. Serendip, 14 May 2009. Web. 7 July 2012. Rattue, Grace. How Our Sense of Touch Works. Medical News Today. Medical News Today, 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 7 July 2012.

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