Biophysics Flashcards
Which of the following describes the process of diffusion?
a) Movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to low concentration
b) Movement of molecules from a region of low concentration to high concentration
c) Movement of molecules from a region of equal concentration to another region of equal concentration
d) Movement of molecules from a region of low concentration to another region of low concentration
Movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to low concentration
The resting membrane potential inside the cell is?
-70mV
________ has high concentration outside.
Na+
Diffusion of a Solute is defined by _________ Equation?
Fick’s Equation
Flux is a _________ quantity
a. Scaler
b. Vector
c. Positive
d. Negative
Vector
The net flux of a particle is dependent on the
diffusion coefficient of the medium for the particle, and the difference in concentration of the particle. True or false?
True
Permeability does NOT depend on:
a. Type of ion
b. Thickness of the membrane,
c. Temperature
d. Area
Area
Name Small uncharged Polar Molecules?
H2O
urea
glycerol
C02
O2,
alcohol
Name Large Uncharged Polar Molecules?
Glucose
Sucrose
Which of the following is an example of active transport?
a) Osmosis
b) Diffusion
c) Facilitated diffusion
Osmosis
Which of the following is a factor that affects the rate of osmosis?
a) Size of the molecules
b) Charge of the molecules
c) Temperature
d) All of the above
All of the above
Which of the following statements about diffusion is true?
a) It requires the input of energy
b) It occurs from areas of low concentration to high concentration
c) It occurs from areas of high concentration to low concentration
d) It is a highly selective process
It occurs from areas of high concentration to low concentration
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of osmosis?
a) It is a passive process
b) It only occurs in living organisms
c) It involves the movement of water
d) It occurs across a semi-permeable membrane
It only occurs in living organisms
Which of the following factors affect the rate of diffusion?
a) Temperature
b) Concentration gradient
c) Membrane permeability
d) All of the above
All of the above
Which of the following is an example of osmosis in living organisms?
a) Movement of water from soil to plant roots
b) Movement of water from blood to cells
c) Movement of water from the bladder to urine
d) Movement of water from the stomach to small intestine
Movement of water from blood to cells
The Nernst equation is used to calculate:
a. The electrical potential across a cell membrane
b. The concentration of ions inside and outside a cell
c. The rate of ion diffusion across a cell membrane
d. The electrical conductivity of a cell membrane
The electrical potential across a cell membrane
The Nernst equation is applicable for which type of ions?
a. Only positively charged ions
b. Only negatively charged ions
c. Both positively and negatively charged ions
d. None of the above
Both positively and negatively charged ions
In the Nernst equation, what does the variable “R” represent?
The gas constant
The Nernst equation can be used to calculate the equilibrium potential for _______ ion?
Potassium (K+)
The equilibrium potential for an ion is dependent on:
a. The concentration gradient of the ion across the cell membrane
b. The electrical gradient of the ion across the cell membrane
c. The temperature of the cell
d. Both a and b
d. Both the concentration gradient of the ion across the cell membrane and the electrical gradient of the ion across the cell membrane
Which ion has a higher equilibrium potential in neurons, potassium or sodium?
Potassium
Which of the following factors can affect the resting membrane potential of a neuron?
a. Changes in the extracellular concentration of ions
b. Changes in the intracellular concentration of ions
c. Changes in the permeability of the cell membrane to ions
d. All of the above
All of the above
If the concentration of potassium inside a neuron is 100 mM and the concentration of potassium outside the neuron is 10 mM, what is the equilibrium potential for potassium (in mV) according to the Nernst equation?
a. -60 mV
b. -70 mV
c. -80 mV
d. -90 mV
-90 mV
If the concentration of sodium inside a neuron is 10 mM and the concentration of sodium outside the neuron is 100 mM, what is the equilibrium potential for sodium (in mV) according to the Nernst equation?
+60 mV
What is the relationship between the equilibrium potential and the resting membrane potential of a neuron?
They are the same
How many ions are needed to move across the cell membrane to change the electrical potential by 60 mV according to the Nernst equation?
2
If the extracellular concentration of potassium increases, what would happen to the resting membrane potential?
The resting membrane potential would become more positive
Which of the following statements is true about a cell membrane at rest?
a. The cell membrane is permeable to both sodium and potassium ions
b. The cell membrane is impermeable to both sodium and potassium ions
c. The cell membrane is permeable to sodium ions but impermeable to potassium ions
d. The cell membrane is permeable to potassium ions but impermeable to sodium ions
The cell membrane is permeable to both sodium and potassium ions
What does the Gibbs-Donnan equation describe?
a. The relationship between osmotic pressure and solute concentration
b. The distribution of ions between two compartments separated by a semipermeable membrane
c. The relationship between the equilibrium constant and reaction rate
d. The relationship between pH and the dissociation constant of a weak acid
The distribution of ions between two compartments separated by a semipermeable membrane.
__________ and ________ ions are most affected by the Gibbs-Donnan effect in biological systems
Potassium and chloride.
What is the significance of the Gibbs-Donnan effect in determining the distribution of ions across a cell membrane?
It ensures that the concentration of ions is higher outside the cell than inside the cell.
What is the main factor that affects the magnitude of the Gibbs-Donnan effect?
a. The size of the ions
b. The charge of the ions
c. The concentration of the ions
d. The permeability of the membrane
The charge of the ions
What is the equilibrium potential of an ion?
The potential at which the net flow of the ion across the membrane is zero.
What is the equation used to calculate the equilibrium potential of an ion?
a. Ohm’s Law
b. The Nernst equation
c. The Goldman equation
d. The Poisson equation
The Nernst equation.
What is the relationship between the equilibrium potential of an ion and the membrane potential of a cell?
The relationship depends on the concentrations of the ion inside and outside the cell.
How does a change in the concentration gradient of an ion affect its equilibrium potential?
a. It does not affect the equilibrium potential.
b. It increases the magnitude of the equilibrium potential.
c. It decreases the magnitude of the equilibrium potential.
d. It changes the sign of the equilibrium potential.
It decreases the magnitude of the equilibrium potential.
Which of the following factors does NOT affect the equilibrium potential of an ion?
a. Temperature
b. Ionic charge
c. Membrane permeability
d. Ionic concentration gradient
Temperature
Which of the following ions has the most positive equilibrium potential in most cells?
a. Sodium (Na+)
b. Potassium (K+)
c. Chloride (Cl-)
d. Calcium (Ca2+)
Sodium (Na+)
Calculate the equilibrium potential of sodium (Na) when the concentrations across a cell membrane are [Na+] I =27 mM, [Na+] o=193 mM. What is the driving force acting on sodium ions if the membrane potential is –65 mV?
E Na = +51 mV
Resting cells are not at their equilibrium but they are _____________
at steady state.
What is necessary to maintain a constant
composition of the ions across the cell membrane?
An active pump
At the steady state, the sum of passive and active current for a specific ion must be ______.
ZERO
Electroneutral Pump does not carry net charge across the membrane. True or false?
True
Define Equilibrium?
Equilibrium is defined as the state in which the net force on a particle equals 0.
What is steady-state?
Steady-state is defined as the situation in which the net current carried by ions equal to 0.
What is the process by which a cell creates a membrane potential?
A. Cellular respiration
B. Membrane diffusion
C. Ion transport
D. Osmosis
Ion transport
The resting membrane potential of a typical mammalian cell is around:
A. -70 mV
B. 0 mV
C. +30 mV
D. -30 mV
-70 mV
Which ions contribute to the resting membrane potential of a cell?
Potassium and chloride
The Na+/K+ ATPase pump plays a crucial role in the maintenance of the membrane potential by:
A. Transporting K+ ions into the cell and Na+ ions out of the cell
B. Transporting Na+ ions into the cell and K+ ions out of the cell
C. Transporting both Na+ and K+ ions into the cell
D. Transporting both Na+ and K+ ions out of the cell
Transporting K+ ions into the cell and Na+ ions out of the cell
The Goldman equation is used to calculate?
The membrane potential of a cell
The Nernst equation is used to calculate:
A. The membrane potential of a cell
B. The concentration of ions in a cell
C. The rate of ion transport across a cell membrane
D. The diffusion coefficient of ions in a cell
The membrane potential of a cell
________ type of ion channels open in response to changes in the membrane potential?
A. Ligand-gated channels
B. Voltage-gated channels
C. Mechanically-gated channels
D. All of the above
Voltage-gated channels
The depolarization of a cell membrane occurs when:
A. Positive ions enter the cell
B. Positive ions leave the cell
C. Negative ions enter the cell
D. Negative ions leave the cell
Positive ions enter the cell
Action potentials are generated in response to:
A. A small depolarization of the membrane potential
B. A large depolarization of the membrane potential
C. A small hyperpolarization of the membrane potential
D. A large hyperpolarization of the membrane potential
A large depolarization of the membrane potential
The threshold potential is the:
A. Point at which an action potential is generated
B. Resting potential of a cell
C. Potential at which ion channels begin to open
D. Potential at which ion channels begin to close
Potential at which ion channels begin to open
Which of the following is true regarding the myelin sheath?
A. It increases the rate of ion transport across the cell membrane
B. It decreases the rate of ion transport across the cell membrane
C. It increases the capacitance of the cell membrane
D. It decreases the capacitance of the cell membrane
It decreases the rate of ion transport across the cell membrane