• Question: Why do you cry when you cut an onion?

    Asked by race44bat to Min, Marcello, Katie, Israel, Dheeraj on 19 Nov 2019.
    • Photo: Katie Starsmore

      Katie Starsmore answered on 19 Nov 2019:

      Because the natural chemical in the onion reacts with water. Therefore if you run a cut onion under water it will react with the tap water instead of your eyes, making you cry. But without any tap water present, then it reacts with your eyes causing you to cry

    • Photo: Israel Ikoyi

      Israel Ikoyi answered on 19 Nov 2019:

      Cutting onions release some chemicals into the air which when in contact with our eyes irritates
      some glands thereby producing the tears

    • Photo: Dheeraj Rathore

      Dheeraj Rathore answered on 19 Nov 2019:

      Onions produce the chemical irritant known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide. It stimulates the eyes’ lachrymal (tear) glands so they release tears, which seems like that we are crying while cutting the onions.

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