WBCS.LIVE practice question

The chopping of an onion heavily brings tears to the eyes because it aggressively releases a highly volatile chemical containing which element?

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. Phosphorus
  2. Nitrogen
  3. Sulphur
  4. Chlorine

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: Sulphur

Explanation: āœ… Correct Answer: C) Sulphur šŸ“š Explanation: When an onion is sliced, its cells are broken, releasing an enzyme called alliinase. This enzyme reacts with naturally occurring amino acid sulfoxides to produce a highly volatile sulphur-containing gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. When this irritating gas reaches the eyes, it heavily stimulates the lacrimal glands, causing the eyes to tear up to wash the chemical away.