Chapter U2.46, Problem 1TAI

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The generalization that can be made between smell and molecule must be explained.

Concept introduction:

A compound has smell if the molecule can bind with nasal receptor and a nerve impulse reaches brain.

Answer to Problem 1TAI

A compound has characteristic smell when molecules from the compound reaches and binds with the nasal receptors.

Explanation of Solution

Different molecules have different structural features. The arrangements of atoms and functional groups are different. So molecules have different binding affinity with nasal receptors. As all molecules don’t have structural complimentarity with nasal receptors, so all molecules can’t bind with nasal receptors. Hence some molecules don’t have smell.