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Why do neuron sodium ions move from outside to inside the ason when an action potential travls along the axon?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Sodium is a positive ion. As it enters the cell the sodium influx raises the membrane potential (voltage) in that area. By doing this at many different stages along the axon one after the other, this positive current flows down the axon as an action potential, transferring nerve impulses from one neurone to the other.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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What do resting and action potentials depend on?
The resting and action potentials depend on the balance of charges of the area outside the neuron and inside the neuron. A resting potential is when the neuron is more negatively (approximately -70mv) charged than the area outside the neuron. The action potential occurs when sodium ions rush into the neuron, causing the polarity to be reversed. When there is no difference in charge between the area inside the neuron and the area outside the neuron, no action potentials can be started by that neuron.
What causes the vesicles inside a neuron to fuse with the plasma membrane?
An action potential in the neuron
It is the membrane potential of a neuron at rest?
Yes,the membrane potential of a neuron is at rest because it is the difference in electrical charge between inside and outside a resting neuron.
What condition is neuron in when the outside of the neuron has a net positive charge and the inside has net negative charge?
This is called the resting potential (inactive state) of the neuron. However, when a neurotransmitter binds to receptors, electrical stimulus is applied, etc. to induce an opening of ion channels in the membrane of the neuron, positive ions rush into the neuron from the outside to the inside, and result in a sharp increase of the positive charge density (due to more positive ions) inside the neuron. Beyond a certain threshold, this can induce the creation of an action potential, causing the neuron to fire. After the action potential is created, and the neuron fires, there is a short refractory period where the neuron cannot be fired again due to stimuli, when positive ions are pumped back out of the neuron, negative ions are brought into the neuron, and then the ion channels close, leaving the neuron in a polarized state, and returning it to a resting potential.
If a signal from a sending neuron makes the receiving neuron more negative inside?
The receiving neuron is less likely to generate action potential.
What is restpotential?
The resting membrane potential of a neuron is about -70 mV (mV=millivolt) - this means that the inside of the neuron is 70 mV less than the outside. At rest, there are relatively more sodium ions outside the neuron and more potassium ions inside that neuron.
What is a polarized neuron?
A neuron that is polarized is also at rest potential. At this stage it is not conducting an impulse and has sodium ions on the outside and potassium ions on the inside.
What is the state when an electrical charge of a neuron is said to be at a resting potential?
The resting potential is the normal equilibrium charge difference (potential gradient) across the neuronal membrane, created by the imbalance in sodium, potassium, and chloride ions inside and outside the neuron.
A neuron will generate action potentials when it?
A neuron will generate action potential when it is stimulated by a neurotransmitter.
What does an action potential refer to as?
An action potential is basically the message which is sent by the neuron down the axon towards synapse.In other words it is the impulse or the electrical signal that travels along the axon due to difference in the positive and negative charges inside and outside of the axon wall.
When a Neuron is resting is the inside and outside of the cell membrane positive or negative?
A neuron wouldn't be at rest if it had positive membrane potential. It would fire an action potential. If the neuron remained depolarized then it will fire controllably, and nearby cells are then at risk of being overstimulated. If this activity spreads far enough then it will lead to an epileptic seizure - which is also damaging to neurons.
What is the Difference between a receptor and an action potential?
action potential has a threshold stimulus and depolarization is just change in membrae potential where inside becomes for positive relative to outside. The AP has the ability to actually transmit info over long distance in axons once threshhold stimulus/depolarization is reached
