Final answer:
Taste, or gustation, is a chemical sense that involves taste buds on the tongue and taste receptor cells. Humans are more sensitive to taste than smell, although both senses work together to create flavor.
Step-by-step explanation:
Taste, also known as gustation, is a chemical sense that allows us to perceive different flavors. Humans have taste buds on their tongues that contain taste receptor cells. When these receptor cells are stimulated by tastants, such as sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami molecules, they generate nerve impulses that are sent to the brain.
Taste buds are located within bumps on the tongue called papillae. There are different types of papillae, including filiform, fungiform, and circumvallate papillae. While all primary tastes can be detected on the tongue, certain tastes may be more prominent in specific areas depending on the distribution of taste buds.
In terms of sensitivity, it is generally believed that humans are more sensitive to taste than to smell. However, both gustation and olfaction work together to enhance our perception of flavor.