Membrane Potential

Question 1

Equilibrium Potential

Answer 1

Membrane potential at which chemical and electrical gradients cancel each other out.

Question 2

What’s the most abundant type of phospholipid in the lipid bilayer?

Answer 2

Phosphatidylcholine

Question 3

What is the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics?

Answer 3

The amount of entropy (in a closed system) can only increase or remain unchanged (if maximized).

Question 4

Membrane Potential

Answer 4

Separation of charge within a cell that exists across their plasma membrane.

Question 5

Cell Conductance (“g”)

Answer 5

Refers to the movement of CHARGE across a membrane. (How well can the charge move?)

Question 6

Threshold potential

Answer 6

The membrane potential at which an action potential fires 50% of the time.

Question 7

Permeability (“P”)

Answer 7

Refers only to how permeable an ion is to a membrane, due to the number of channels. Something can be highly permeable with little conductance.

Question 8

Current (“I”)

Answer 8

Refers to the RATE of movement of charge across the membrane in time or the rate of ion flux. (What’s the rate of charge movement?)