When you cut an onion, it releases a gas called, ready for this, Propanethiol S-oxide. When mixed with certain enzymes in the onion, it creates a sulfur gas. These gases then get to your eyes and create a mild acid which irritates the eyes.
Normally, your body would signal you to close your eyes. This, of course, is not a good idea if you are cutting an onion. The next best thing your eyes can do is to make tears to protect the eyes. Rubbing your eyes is a bad idea, since your hands are likely full of the tear making onion juice. So how do you keep from tearing up? There are many theories out there. I've heard some have had luck burning a candle near the chopping site. (Don't try that without an adult.) Wearing safety goggles, however, should reduce the tears every time.
NOW YOU KNOW!
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Siddharth
25/9/2014 12:49:33 am
Cutting an onion releases a gas called propanethiol S oxide. It mixes with certain enzymes in the onion and create an acid which makes tears in our eyes.
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jashan
25/9/2014 08:42:26 pm
when ever you cut onions you tears come out that is because a gas irritates your eyes and thats how you cry or your eye pains
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Nicole Morenas
26/9/2014 04:00:54 pm
when you cut an onion you don't literally cry however the gas released from the onion creates a burning sensation in the eye .Due to this the tear gland produces tears.
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Nicole Morenas
26/9/2014 04:11:45 pm
When you cut an onion you don't literally cry however due to the gas generated from the onions it creates a burning sensation in the eye.Due to this gas the tear glands produces tears.
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Sachin
26/9/2014 09:09:22 pm
Whenever we chop onions some liquid would come to your eye then it irritates your eye then the tears started to come.
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marik
28/9/2014 09:57:58 pm
When you cut an onion, it releases a gas called, ready for this, Propanethiol S-oxide. When mixed with certain enzymes in the onion, it creates a sulfur gas. These gases then get to your eyes and create a mild acid which irritates the eyes.
Normally, your body would signal you to close your eyes. This, of course, is not a good idea if you are cutting an onion. The next best thing your eyes can do is to make tears to protect the eyes. Rubbing your eyes is a bad idea, since your hands are likely full of the tear making onion juice. So how do you keep from tearing up? There are many theories out there. I've heard some have had luck burning a candle near the chopping site. (Don't try that without an adult.) Wearing safety goggles, however, should reduce the tears every time.
Reply
marik
28/9/2014 10:02:05 pm
Answer: Unless you've avoided cooking, you've probably cut up an onion and experienced the burning and tearing you get from the vapors. When you cut an onion, you break cells, releasing their contents. Amino acid sulfoxides form sulfenic acids. Enzymes that were kept separate now are free to mix with the sulfenic acids to produce propanethiol S-oxide, a volatile sulfur compound that wafts upward toward your eyes. This gas reacts with the water in your tears to form sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid burns, stimulating your eyes to release more tears to wash the irritant away.
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Harsh.Harikumar.Nair
6/10/2014 02:59:36 am
When you cut an onion youe eyes start to cry because when you cut an onion, a powerful acid sprays up into the air. If your eyes are in the way of the spray the acid, while not damaging to your skin, will cause your eyes to sting. Immediately, your lacrimal glands or tear glands, go into overdrive.
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shaffun
9/10/2014 06:10:07 pm
While cutting the onion it produces a type of gas which makes us cry
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Calvin
9/10/2014 10:01:33 pm
The component in an onion that makes your eyes water is called lachrymatory factor, or “tear.” Lachrymatory factor irritates the eyes and stimulate the tear glands to produce tears, much like the action of a tear gas
when you start to slice an onion you are cutting and separating the cell walls of the onion. Until that moment, some enzymes in the onion have not mixed with each other, or the surrounding air. When you slice an onion the enzymes and amino acid sulfoxide chemicals are now free to mix together and form a gas. This is what produces the potent smell of an onion. The gas created from this mixture slowly starts to waft up and reach the EYES of the person cutting the onion. The resulting gas mixes with the WATER in your eyes to create a stinging sensation and tears.
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Mohammed Hadi
5/11/2014 09:10:58 pm
When we cut an onion, it releases a gas called Propanethiol S-oxide. When mixed with certain enzymes in the onion, it creates a sulfur gas. These gases then get to your eyes and create a mild acid which irritates the eyes and makes us cry