Air chemicals and odorant receptors have shapes. Perhaps, chemical shapes must be complementary to receptor shapes to detect odorants {shape-pattern theory}. Odorant-receptor firing pattern determines odor.
Perhaps, molecule geometry correlates with odor type {stereochemical theory}. Smell receptor sites are small concave for camphorous smell, large concave for musky smell, V-shaped for minty smell, trough-shaped for ethereal smell, and concave-and-trough-shaped for floral smell. Receptor sites can have electric charges that attract oppositely charged moelcules, with negative charge for pungent smell and positive charge for putrid smell [Amoore, 1964] [Moncrieff, 1949].
Perhaps, odorant molecules have vibration frequencies {vibration theory} (Luca Turin). Molecules with similar vibration frequency have similar smell.
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Date Modified: 2022.0225