Membrane Potential and Equilibrium

What is the term used to describe the voltage gradient at which equilibrium is reached for an ion?

Equilibrium voltage

How does a membrane potential arise?

Due to the movement of ions across the membrane

Which ion moves faster across the membrane in the given scenario?

Cl-

What causes diffusion to begin across the membrane?

Concentration gradient Signup and view all the answers

Why does an electric potential emerge across the membrane according to the text?

By a tiny fraction of ions that are not balanced Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of having a difference in electrical charges on both sides of a membrane?

Leads to the emergence of a membrane potential Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe the feature of the action potential where it reacts with exactly the same standard height?

All-or-none law Signup and view all the answers

Which type of ion channels are responsible for generating an action potential in excitable membranes?

Voltage-gated ion channels Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical peak membrane potential during an action potential?

+40 to +50 mV Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of inactivation of voltage-activated Na+ channels during an action potential?

To keep the action potential firing in one direction Signup and view all the answers

What happens when delayed K+ rectifiers open during an action potential?

K+ moves out and the membrane repolarizes Signup and view all the answers

How is the resting membrane potential near -70 mV maintained at rest?

By K+ leak channels Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical resting potential of animal cells?

-70 mV Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following ions play special roles in the electrical phenomena occurring in neurons?

Sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chlorine (Cl-) Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism commonly called that maintains the difference in ion concentrations inside and outside the membrane?

Sodium-potassium pump Signup and view all the answers

What type of channels allow the passage of mostly inorganic ions through small hydrophilic pores?

Leak channels Signup and view all the answers

What defines the resting membrane potential as per the text?

The equilibrium condition with no net ion flow across the membrane Signup and view all the answers

In excitable cells like nerve and muscle, which channels are expressed to produce action potentials?

Voltage-gated channels Signup and view all the answers