Synapses

Question 1

what is meant by action potential?

Answer 1

it occurs when a neuron sends information down an axon, away from the cell body the action potential is an explosion of electrical activity, this means that some events (a stimulus) causes the resting potential to move forward

Question 2

what is the process of synaptic transmission?

Answer 2

dendrites on sensory neurons receive information from the environment
this creates an electrical impulse (action potential) which travels down the axon
this electrical impulse is protected or insulated from external influences by the myelin sheath
when the electrical impulse reaches the axon terminal, the neuron releases chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the synaptic cleft
the neurotransmitters are taken up by the receptor sites on the dendrites of the post-synaptic neuron and the electrical impulse continues via electrical impulses