It is feasible that the fruit contained a substance that would bring about a physical change that would alter the bodies of Adam and Eve, resulting in aging and eventual death, but the act of disobedience or defiance would have a more immediate effect.
Whereas the couple had, up till now, been innocent they now experienced new feelings and emotions.
Whereas before partaking of the fruit they had felt no shame about being naked, now they felt vulnerable and the need to cover up.
Their response was to sew together fig leaves to make aprons.
Then, when they heard the Lord was coming they attempted to hide themselves from his presence. When Adam was questioned as to why he had done this, he mentioned that he was afraid, because he was naked.
Obviously his feeble attempts at covering up, not only his nakedness, but also his willful disobedience, had been woefully insufficient.
By starting to experience the opposite poles of emotion they were able to comprehend more fully.
What had, up till now, been a homogeneous paradisaical existence of neutrality, now began to condense into polar opposites.
Being able to experience both they were consequently beginning to understand and comprehend that some feeling, states and emotions were more desirable than others. They were beginning to develop a knowledge of good and evil by their own experience. Not unlike our own turbulent experiences as we exit the paradise of childhood and enter adolescence.
Adam was beginning to learn about cause and effect, that present actions have future consequences. The future would be affected by actions made in the now. No matter how unpleasant that future might have been to contemplate.
He and his wife were taught the consequences of their choices and from here on Adam refers to his wife as EVE as he contemplates that she will now be the mother of all living.
