Neuroscience: Action Potential Propagation
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Questions and Answers

What is the main reason why action potentials do not travel back toward the cell body?

  • The axon hillock cannot depolarize to threshold after the action potential passes.
  • The synaptic terminals prevent the action potential from traveling back.
  • The firing rate of action potentials is too high for them to go back.
  • Sodium channels behind the traveling zone of depolarization remain inactivated, making the membrane temporarily refractory. (correct)

    • Why does an action potential move only toward the synaptic terminals along the axon?

  • The membrane ahead of the action potential is hyperpolarized, preventing backward movement.
  • The sodium channels behind the traveling depolarization zone are inactivated, making the membrane refractory to further input. (correct)
  • The axon hillock becomes inactive after the action potential passes.
  • The firing rate of action potentials is high, pushing them only towards the synaptic terminals.

    • What defines the movement of a nerve impulse along the axon, likened to a cascade of events triggered by knocking over dominos?

  • The duration of an action potential.
  • The refractory period of sodium channels.
  • The firing rate of action potentials.
  • The all-or-none nature of an action potential. (correct)

    • What happens to sodium channels immediately behind the traveling zone of depolarization during an action potential?

    <p>They remain inactivated, making the membrane refractory to further input.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What triggers a new action potential after the refractory period is complete?

    <p>Depolarization of the axon hillock to threshold.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the frequency of action potentials convey information in a neuron?

    <p>The rate at which action potentials are produced is proportional to the input signal strength.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does an action potential move only toward the synaptic terminals along the axon?

    <p>Sodium channels behind the traveling depolarization zone are inactivated.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes an action potential an all-or-none event?

    <p>Consistent magnitude and duration at each position.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do action potentials contribute to signal transmission between neurons?

    <p>By lasting for milliseconds and reaching high firing rates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason behind the inability of action potentials to travel back toward the cell body?

    <p>The refractory period caused by inactivated sodium channels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does the movement of a nerve impulse along the axon resemble a cascade of events triggered by knocking over dominos?

    <p>As it involves sequential depolarization events.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the refractory period play in ensuring unidirectional action potential propagation?

    <p>It temporarily inactivates sodium channels behind the action potential.</p> Signup and view all the answers

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