Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Saltiness refers to the perception of a taste that is primarily caused by the presence of sodium ions in a substance. It is one of the basic tastes detected by our taste buds.
Related terms
Taste buds: These are sensory receptors located on our tongue that allow us to detect different tastes, including saltiness.
Gustatory system: This refers to the sensory system responsible for processing taste information from our taste buds and transmitting it to the brain.
Sodium ions: These are positively charged particles found in salt that can trigger the sensation of saltiness when they come into contact with our taste buds.