DID YOU KNOW?
Your ears make you feel dizzy.
WHY DO I FEEL DIZZY WHEN I GET OFF A MERRY-GO-ROUND?
The merry-go-round sensation of “I’m spinning!,” “The room is spinning!” is associated with the ears and is called vertigo. Vertigo is caused by movement of fluid in the inner ear. The ear sends a message to the brain that you are moving, while the eyes send a different message. Since the two messages conflict, the interpretation by the brain is that you are spinning around.
CONCLUSION
You may stagger after getting off a merry-go-round like someone who has had too much alcohol to drink. This is because both of your brains are receiving false messages and the interpretation is that your bodies are spinning. Your false message is due to movement of fluid in your ears, while vertigo due to excessive alcohol is associated with abnormal eye movements.
DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF
Fill a large round bowl about three-fourth full with water. Tear 2 to 3 dime-size pieces of paper. Then, use a long spoon to stir the water so that it spins in a clockwise direction. Remove the spoon and drop the tiny pieces of paper into the bowl so that they land on the edge of the spinning water. Notice how the paper pieces float around in a clockwise direction. The water continues to move in a clockwise direction even though you stop stirring. Like the water in the bowl, fluid in your ears continues to move even if you stop moving.
Advanced Learner
Vertigo is one of the symptoms of space adaptation syndrome (SAS), commonly called space sickness. What causes SAS, and why is the Garn scale used to measure SAS one of NASA’s jokes?
You can find more fun science experiments in Janice VanCleave's Teaching the Fun of Science
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Janice VanCleave is the author of fifty-two science experiment books for kids with fifteen foreign translations. Children and educators around the world use her books to explore the world of science. And now Homeschool Bliss readers can too!
Check back each Thursday for more science fun from Janice. But if you just can’t wait, visit her website Science Project Ideas for Kids
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