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The Refrigerator (Fridge) HICCUPS AND THEIR SECRET!
Hiccups, a commonly misunderstood phenomenon, actually work
on one of the nature’s most interesting principles. Normally, if one acquires
Everyday, especially during hot summer, we open the fridge a hiccups, we label it to be a sign that someone is thinking about them.
hundred times daily. Have you ever wondered how it works? Appealing as this idea is, it remains disproven. This corollary happens to be a
How the food stuff is preserved, juices cooled, and yummy ice- mere myth, and does not have any actual science connected to it. However,
cream made? the actual science behind hiccups is far more interesting than the person
Here is the science behind it… who might be thinking about you.
The basic parts of a fridge are – a pump, a fan, some amount Hiccups actually are the sudden result of a neural signal. The
of a liquid (Hydro-Fluorocarbon) and a lot of tubes. plate of muscle that separates our chest cavity from the abdominal cavity
called a diaphragm is the protagonist in this reaction. The upward and
The pump decreases the pressure which decreases the boiling downward action of the diaphragm helps us breathe: when it moves
point that turns the liquid into a cool gas. The gas then enters downwards, the inhaled air by the nose fills into the lungs. Similarly, when it
into a series of pipes which are very close to the walls of the moves upwards, air from the lungs is pushed out, or exhaled. The involuntary
fridge. movement of the diaphragm is caused by the brain. The brain facilitates the
neural signals which help the diaphragm move. A hiccup occurs when the
The gas then absorbs the heat of the food/substance in the brain directs the diaphragm suddenly to go forcefully downwards, thus
fridge to turn into a liquid. allowing a gush of air into the back of the throat. The sound is caused when
the sudden change in pressure results in a narrow area in the throat to shut
The fan is used to expel the heat given off by the pump.
like a door. These messages can be triggered by many factors: a full
That the refrigerator is a “must have” in every house proves stomach, sudden changes in temperature, smoking of cigarettes, excitement,
the fact that it is a great invention and one of the most popular or other heightened emotions.
boons of science. Then how do we get rid of this nuisance? Well, most of us know the
Aniruddh V. (IX) common remedy to be drinking water. Ice- cold water reduces the irritation
caused in the diaphragm. Gulping cold water relaxes the muscular
relaxations and contractions of the diaphragm. It also helps in exterminating
the extra amount of spasms in our body. Hence, next time we start jumping in
our tracks, we know what to do, and why to do it!
Janhavi Dande (X)
