What are the chemical senses?

The chemical senses refer specifically to the senses that are stimulated by chemicals in the environment, which are primarily taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction). These senses detect chemical substances through specialized receptors. In the case of taste, there are taste buds on the tongue that respond to different types of substances, allowing individuals to experience flavors such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Smell, on the other hand, involves olfactory receptors located in the nasal cavity that detect airborne chemical molecules.

Together, taste and smell work closely to create the perception of flavor, contributing significantly to the overall sensory experience of eating and drinking. This connection underscores why the correct choice identifies both senses as the chemical senses. Other options incorrectly include non-chemical senses like vision and hearing, which rely on different types of stimuli (light and sound waves, respectively). Touch is also a mechanical sense, related to pressure and temperature, rather than being classified as a chemical sense.