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When onions are cut they produce the chemical irritant known as syn-propanethial-S-oxide. It stimulates the eyes' lachrymal glands so they release tears.
jkw8886
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoWith onions, when you cut them, you rupture cell membrane walls. This releases a chemical compound which irritates your eyes, and induces crying. To reduce this effect, there are a couple of things you can do: (1) use a sharp knife, because a good sharp knife will do less damage to the cell walls of the onion; (2) don't cut the top of the onion off first, start cutting from the bottom (don't know why this works, but it seems to, at least for me); (3) if you use sweeter onions like Vidalias, they seem to have less of this compound; and (4) light a candle by the cutting board -- the flame seems to burn off the compound vapors, or a good portion of them, before they reach your eyes.
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Why do you cry when you cut an onion?
Due to retina
Why is when you put an onion in ain the freezer you dont cry when you cut it?
The jucies inside the onion are frozen which cause them not to splach up
Can you cry after the onion been cut?
No your eyes water. U cry when u realize u are actually answering this question
What part of a onion makes you cry?
All onions make you cry, because when you cut them, the enzymes inside combine to make a gas that wafts up from the onion. When the gas touches the water in your eyes, it forms sulfuric acid, which is what makes your eyes cry in order to wash the irritant away. You can avoid this by cutting the onion under water, or chilling it.
Do red onions make you cry most?
no they dont make you cry the purple onion is sweet so you dont have to chill them
What food makes you cry?
Onion:When we cut onion 2 chemicals like sulfoxides and enzymes to form gas when this gas reach our eye it makes cry now usually to avoid crying we wash the onion then we see crying chemicals if we make next onion we will wear goggles to protect our eyes thus gas do not reach our eyes.
Will an onion still make you cry if you stick it in the freezer before cutting it?
Peel it and cut it (to the extent possible) under running water, and this will reduce the tendency to cry.
What won't cry but will make you cry if you remove its skin?
That would be an onion. Onions don't cry, but the people who peel them do.
What chemical is in a onion that makes us cry?
'propene sulphilin' is the chemical substance present in the onion which makes you to cry when you cut onion.
Why do onion make you cry?
When you cut them, the enzymes inside combine to make a gas that wafts up from the onion. This gas is an irritant, so when it gets in your eyes they water in order to wash the irritant away. You can avoid this by cutting the onion under water, or chilling it.
Onion ?
A vegetable that sometimes makes you cry
If you tear my skin I won't cry. But you will - what am I?
An onion.
