Onions make us cry because they release tiny particles that irritate our eyes.
When you cut an onion, you're breaking its cells apart. Inside each cell are little bags called vacuoles, and inside those vacuoles are even smaller bags filled with a smelly liquid. When the cells break, this liquid is released. It contains a chemical called syn-propanethial-S-oxide, which is invisible to us but very strong.
This chemical floats up into the air and lands on our eyes. Our eyes try to wash it away by making more tears. That’s why we end up crying!
How It Feels
It's like when you get sand in your eye, your eye says, "I need to flush this out!" and sends a flood of tears.
Even though onions are just vegetables, they can be quite sneaky, like a tiny superhero causing a big mess!
Examples
- A child cuts an onion and starts crying while making dinner.
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