Mystery of the Senses—Touch

Student Handout

Touchy Areas

We sense touch through nerve endings in our skin. In some parts of our bodies, the nerve endings are very close together, and therefore especially sensitive to touch. In other parts, the nerve endings are further apart. To find out which parts of your body are most sensitive to touch, take a paper fastener and move the points so they are one centimeter apart. Use the ruler on the page as a guide.

1. Tell your partner to close her eyes.

2. Holding the edge of the paper fastener, touch the points gently on the back of your partner's shoulder blade. Can she feel one prick or two? Record her answer in the data chart below.

3. Bend the points until they are five millimeters apart. Touch your partner's shoulder blade again. Can she feel one prick or two? Record the answer.

4. Repeat steps 2-4 for each measurement and each body part on the data chart, and record the results.

5. Switch roles and repeat the process.

Partner 1

	Elbow	Shoulder blade	Fingertip
1 cm.
5 mm.
2 mm.
1 mm.

Partner 2

	Elbow	Shoulder blade	Fingertip
1 cm.
5 mm.
2 mm.
1 mm.