- Home
- Parents Home
- Allergy Center
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- A to Z Dictionary
- Emotions & Behavior
- First Aid & Safety
- Food Allergy Center
- General Health
- Growth & Development
- Flu Center
- Heart Health
- Homework Help Center
- Infections
- Diseases & Conditions
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Play & Learn Center
- School & Family Life
- Pregnancy Center
- Newborn Center
- Q&A
- Recipes
- Sports Medicine Center
- Doctors & Hospitals
- Videos
- Para Padres
- Home
- Kids Home
- Asthma Center
- Cancer Center
- Movies & More
- Diabetes Center
- Getting Help
- Feelings
- Puberty & Growing Up
- Health Problems of Grown-Ups
- Health Problems
- Homework Center
- How the Body Works
- Illnesses & Injuries
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Recipes & Cooking
- Staying Healthy
- Stay Safe Center
- Relax & Unwind Center
- Q&A
- Heart Center
- Videos
- Staying Safe
- Kids' Medical Dictionary
- Para Niños
- Home
- Teens Home
- Asthma Center
- Be Your Best Self Center
- Cancer Center
- Diabetes Center
- Diseases & Conditions
- Drugs & Alcohol
- Expert Answers (Q&A)
- Flu Center
- Homework Help Center
- Infections
- Managing Your Medical Care
- Managing Your Weight
- Nutrition & Fitness Center
- Recipes
- Safety & First Aid
- School & Work
- Sexual Health
- Sports Center
- Stress & Coping Center
- Videos
- Your Body
- Your Mind
- Para Adolescentes
Kids
Senses Experiment: Which One's Heavier?
Medically reviewed by: Peace C. Madueme, MD
How information is sent from the muscles to the brain. Your muscles are pretty good, but they can't detect small differences. This experiment shows "threshold detection" — a fancy name for the point at which your muscles can detect a enough of a weight difference to say to the brain: "Hey, this one is heavier!"
- A friend
- A blindfold
- Two large cups (16 oz. or greater)
- A marker
- Enough marbles, beans, or rice to fill both cups
- Label one cup "A" and one cup "B."
- Fill each cup exactly halfway.
- Blindfold your friend.
- Have your friend hold one cup in each hand. They should feel of equal weight.
- Take the cups back and add a small amount of marbles, beans, or rice to cup A. ("A" for add!)
- Return the cups to your friend's hands. Ask which weighs more.
- If your friend says one is heavier, ask which one. Is your friend right?
- If your friend says they weigh the same, take the cups back again and add a little more to cup A.
- Keep taking the cups back and adding to cup A until your friend notices a difference. When he or she does, how much extra weight was needed for the muscles to send that message to the brain?
Medically reviewed by: Peace C. Madueme, MD
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995- The Nemours Foundation. KidsHealth® is a registered trademark of The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Images sourced by The Nemours Foundation and Getty Images.
Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio
- Humana Healthy Horizons
- Humana Healthy Horizons Extras
- Member Support
- Care management
- Caregiver resources
- Child well-being
- Disease management
- Documents and forms
- Enrollment
- Grievances and appeals
- Health and wellness
- KidsHealth
- Member Handbook
- New Member Resources
- News and alerts
- OhioRISE Plan
- Pregnancy outcomes
- Tobacco cessation
- Why Humana
- Your primary care provider
- For Providers
- Contact us
- Accessibility
- Humana Healthy Horizons
- Humana Healthy Horizons Extras
- Member Support
- Care management
- Caregiver resources
- Child well-being
- Disease management
- Documents and forms
- Enrollment
- Grievances and appeals
- Health and wellness
- KidsHealth
- Member Handbook
- New Member Resources
- News and alerts
- OhioRISE Plan
- Pregnancy outcomes
- Tobacco cessation
- Why Humana
- Your primary care provider
- For Providers
- Contact us
- Accessibility