The Refractory Period

Question 1

What is the refractory period?

Answer 1

The period after an action potential when a new action potential cannot be generated because sodium voltage - gated channels are closed

Question 2

Why does the refractory period prevent another action potential?

Answer 2

This is because the inward movement of sodium ions is blocked, preventing depolarisation

Question 3

What are the three main functions of the refractory period?

Answer 3

1. Ensuring action potential only travel in one direction
2. Producing discrete impulses
3. Limiting the number of action potentials in a given time

Question 4

How does the refractory period ensure action potential travel in one direction only?

Answer 4

It prevents depolarisation in a refractory region, ensuring impulses only move forward from an active to a resting region

Question 5

Why does the refractory period ensure that impulses are discrete?

Answer 5

It prevents continuous firing, ensuring each action potential is separate from the next

Question 6

How does the refractory period ensure discrete impulses?

Answer 6

It prevent new action potentials from forming immediately behind the first one, keeping impulses separate

Question 7

How does the refractory period limit the number of action potentials?

Answer 7

By separating impulses, it limits how many can pass in a given time, thus controlling the maximum frequency of impulses and the strength of stimulus detected

Question 8

How does the refractory period control the strength of a detected stimulus?

Answer 8

It limits the frequency of action potentials, preventing excessive firing in response to very strong stimuli