Test 5 Potentials

Question 1

What is an action potential?

Answer 1

the action potential is the membrane potential of a neuron that is conducting an impulse.

Question 2

What is resting membrane potential?

Answer 2

membrane potential maintained by a nonconducting neuron’s plasma membrane.

Question 3

What is refractory period?

Answer 3

a brief period during which a local area of an axon’s membrane resists restimulation

Question 4

What is the relative refractory period?

Answer 4

Time during which the membrane is repolarizing and restoring the resting membrane potential.

Is a few milliseconds after the absolute refractory period, during which the membrane only responds to a very strong stimulus.

Question 5

What is the absolute refractory period?

Answer 5

Brief period during which a local area of a neuron’s membrane resists restimulation and will not respond to stimulus, no matter how strong.

Lasts approximately 0.5 milliseconds.