Match the taste with the chemical substance that produces it.      


____Sweet      
____Sour     
____Salty      
____Bitter      
____Umami


a. Many alkaloids
b. Sucrose
c. Glutamate
d. Sodium ions
e. Hydrogen ions

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the taste associated with sweet substances, which is typically produced by sugars such as sucrose.
2. Recognize that sour taste is often associated with acidic substances, which release hydrogen ions (H+).
3. Understand that salty taste is primarily due to the presence of sodium ions (Na+).
4. Associate the bitter taste with many alkaloids, which are often found in plants and can have a sharp, unpleasant taste.
5. Connect the umami taste with glutamate, an amino acid that provides a savory flavor often found in meats and broths.

Key Concepts

Taste Perception

Taste perception is the sensory process by which the tongue detects different flavors through taste buds. There are five primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Each taste corresponds to specific chemical substances that activate receptors on the taste buds, leading to the perception of flavor.

Chemical Substances and Taste

Different chemical substances are responsible for eliciting specific tastes. For example, sucrose is the primary compound associated with sweetness, while sodium ions are linked to saltiness. Understanding the relationship between these substances and their corresponding tastes is crucial for accurately matching them in the question.

Taste Classification

Taste classification involves categorizing tastes based on their chemical nature and physiological effects. Sweetness is typically associated with sugars, sourness with acids (like hydrogen ions), saltiness with salts (like sodium ions), bitterness with various alkaloids, and umami with amino acids (like glutamate). This classification helps in identifying the correct matches for the given tastes.