BIOL 01113 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Resting Potential, Potassium Channel, Exosphere
13 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Action potential: the signal that conveys information over distances. The action potential is a rapid reversal of this situation such that, for an instant, the inside of the membrane becomes positively charged in relation to the outside. Action potential also called spike, nerve impulse, or discharge. The action potential generated by a patch of membrane are all similar in size and duration, and they do not diminish as they are conducted down the axon. The frequency and pattern of action potentials constitute the code used by neurons to transfer information from one location to another. The ups and downs of an action potential. During the action potential, however, the membrane potential briefly becomes positive. A special type of voltmeter, called a oscilloscope, is used to study action potentials. The oscilloscope records the voltage as it changes over time. The first part is the rising phase: rapid depolarization of the membrane.
