AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Due to this, sharks always turn their head in the direction of the nostril that has detected the scent first – even if the time delay is only a fraction of a second. This means that sharks always turn towards the direction of the scent.

Detailed explanation-2: -Some sharks can identify blood a quarter-mile away, but the scent doesn’t reach them instantaneously or necessarily cause them to attack. Sharks have a heightened sense of smell and olfactory system that is hundreds of times stronger than a human’s.

Detailed explanation-3: -Sharks are attracted to human blood The sensing organ of a shark, called the ampullae of Lorenzini, can detect electric fields produced by living things. They can also detect blood in the water from miles away.

Detailed explanation-4: -The shark pulls in water into its nasal cavities and sniffs out any prey. The water goes into the nasal sacs and across folds of skin known as olfactory lamellae (plates) studded with chemoreceptors. These receptors increase sensitivity to surrounding smells, making their prey tracking ability legendary.

Detailed explanation-5: -To answer the question: does blood attract sharks? Yes, it does. But mammal blood is unlikely to attract them. Besides the scent of fish blood, another thing that makes fish attractive to sharks is the electric signals their struggle sends when wounded.