• Question: Why do we cry?

    Asked by lucylemondrops6741 to Kate, Kieren, Nicola, Rowena, Roy on 13 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Kate Nicholson

      Kate Nicholson answered on 13 Mar 2014:

      Either a chemical that makes us produce tears (lachrymator if you want the technical name) comes into contact with the surface of our eye and stimulates the glands to produce more tears which only a certain amount can sit on the surface of the eye without being swept off by the eyelids. This is what happens when you chop onions…..

      Or we are emotionally distressed which has the same effect, tear ducts go into overdrive and we leak.

    • Photo: Rowena Fletcher-Wood

      Rowena Fletcher-Wood answered on 14 Mar 2014:

      We cry for two reasons – if we get hurt or if we’re upset. If we hurt our eye the crying is like eyes watering and cleans your eyes out. We cry when we get hurt elsewhere and when we’re upset emotionally to signal our distress – it’s a way of communicating with our friends to get help. Have you ever noticed small children crying when they’re hurt will stop if mummy doesn’t pay them attention?

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